title: Synthesis of 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted imidazoles by a sequential aza-Wittig/Michael/isomerization reaction.
abstract: Carbodiimides 4, obtained from aza-Wittig reactions of iminophosphorane 3 with aryl isocyanates, reacted with secondary amines in the presence of a catalytic amount of sodium alkoxide to give 1,2,4,5-tetrasubstituted imidazoles 7 in good yields. However, 4-acylimidazoles 11 were obtained, as phenols were used in the presence of a catalytic amount of potassium carbonate due to further air oxidation of the expected products 10.
authors.affiliation: Key Laboratory of Pesticide and Chemical Biology of Ministry of Education, Central China Normal University, Wuhan 430079, People's Republic of China.
authors.forename: Yi-Bo
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.forename: Long
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Wang
authors.forename: Ming-Wu
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Ding
mesh_terms: D002234:Carbodiimides / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry*; D002384:Catalysis; D007093:Imidazoles / Q000138:chemical synthesis* / Q000737:chemistry; D007536:Isomerism; D015394:Molecular Structure
chemical_list: D002234:Carbodiimides; D007093:Imidazoles