Highly efficient copper-catalyzed N-arylation of nitrogen-containing heterocycles with aryl and heteroaryl halides.

New (S)-pyrrolidinylmethylimidazole ligands (4a-c) have been readily synthesized in a straightforward fashion from least expensive starting materials in short steps in high yields. Relatively mild and highly efficient CuI-catalyzed N-arylation procedures for imidazoles with aryl and heteroaryl bromides or chlorides have been developed in the presence of 4a and Cs2CO3. It is important to note that the protocol could tolerate functional groups such as ester, nitrile, nitro, ketone, free hydroxyl, and free primary amine on the aryl halide. The protocol could also be applicable to other pi-electron-rich nitrogen heterocycles (pyrrole, pyrazole, indole, benzimidazole, and triazole), affording the N-arylazoles in good to excellent yields.