Ligand-free CuTC-catalyzed N-arylation of amides, anilines and 4-aminoantipyrine: synthesis of N-arylacrylamides, 4-amido-N-phenylbenzamides and 4-amino (N-phenyl)antipyrenes

N-Arylation of amides and anilines with aryl iodides was efficiently catalyzed by copper thiophenecarboxylate under ligand-free conditions with good to excellent yields. A variety of substituted aryl iodides, amides, anilines and 4-aminoantipyrine were found to be applicable to the simple catalytic system. Furthermore, some practical, unique secondary amides, such as N-arylacrylamides and 4-amido-N-phenylbenzamides, and 4-amino(N-phenyl)antipyrenes, which are difficult to obtain by the classical methods, were prepared. Copyright (c) 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.