N-Heterocyclic carbene-palladium(ii)-1-methylimidazole complex catalyzed direct C-H bond arylation of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines with aryl chlorides.

We herein reported the N-heterocyclic carbene-palladium(ii)-1-methylimidazole complex catalyzed direct C-H bond arylation of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines with aryl chlorides. Under suitable conditions, all reactions between various imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines and aryl chlorides worked well to give the desired C3-H arylated products in acceptable to high yields, giving a convenient and alternative method for the direct C-H bond arylation of imidazo[1,2-a]pyridines, using economic and easily available aryl chlorides as the arylating reagents.