Metal-free approach for imidazole synthesis one-pot -α-C(sp)- bond functionalization of benzylamines.

A metal-free one-pot method is established for the synthesis of tetrasubstituted imidazoles from the reaction of arylmethylamines and 1,2-dicarbonyls/benzoin. The -α-C(sp)- bond functionalization of arylmethylamines using a catalytic amount of AcOH afforded polysubstituted imidazoles under aerobic conditions in significant yields of up to 95%.