Heterogeneous Rhodium-Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidative Dehydrogenative Cross-Coupling: Nonsymmetrical Biaryl Amines.

The first heterogeneously catalyzed oxidative dehydrogenative cross-coupling of aryl amines is reported herein. 2-Naphthylamine analogues were reacted with various electron-rich arenes using a heterogeneous Rh/C catalyst under mild aerobic conditions, thus affording nonsymmetrical biaryl amines in excellent yields with high selectivities. This reaction provides a mild, operationally simple, and efficient approach for the synthesis of biaryls which are important to pharmaceutical and materials chemistry.