title: A modular synthesis of highly substituted imidazolium salts.
abstract: A versatile and modular one-pot method for the preparation of differently substituted symmetrical and unsymmetrical imidazolium salts is reported, and 19 examples are given. In the key step, readily available formamidines and alpha-halo ketones are coupled to give imidazolinium salts 3, followed by imidazolium salt formation by acylation-induced elimination. For many substitution patterns of the imidazolium salt products, this efficient strategy compares favorably with well-known processes in terms of yield, ease of synthesis, and robustness.
authors.affiliation: Organisch-Chemisches Institut der Westfalischen Wilhelms-Universitat Munster, Corrensstrasse 40, 48149 Munster, Germany.
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: Slawomir
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Urban
authors.forename: Congyang
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Glorius