Synthesis of substituted imidazoles via organocatalysis.
A one-pot synthesis of substituted imidazoles is described. The cornerstone of this methodology involves the thiazolium-catalyzed addition of an aldehyde to an acyl imine to generate the corresponding alpha-ketoamide in situ followed by ring closure to the imidazole in a one-pot sequence. The extension of this methodology to the one-pot synthesis of substituted oxazoles and thiazoles is also described. [reaction: see text]
Department of Process Research, Merck Research Laboratories, Merck & Co., 466 Devon Park Drive, Wayne, PA 19087, USA.
Doug E
DE
Frantz
Louis
L
Morency
Arash
A
Soheili
Jerry A
JA
Murry
Edward J J
EJ
Grabowski
Richard D
RD
Tillyer