title: AgNO3 as nitrogen source for rhodium(iii)-catalyzed synthesis of 2-aryl-2H-benzotriazoles from azobenzenes.
abstract: A new approach has been established for Rh(iii)-catalyzed direct aza oxidative cyclization of non-prefunctionalized azobenzenes to provide 2-aryl-2H-benzotriazoles in good yields, in which AgNO3 instead of conventional azide reagents for the first time functions as the nitrogen source for the nitrogenation reaction. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest that the Rh(iii)-catalyst could account for the nitration reaction, and subsequently cationic silver species might both play a vital role in the fission of the nitrogen-oxygen bonds in nitro groups and promote aza oxidative cyclization.
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Oxo Synthesis and Selective Oxidation, Suzhou Research Institute of LICP, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics (LICP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China. gxjiang@licp.cas.cn and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Jixing
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Li
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Oxo Synthesis and Selective Oxidation, Suzhou Research Institute of LICP, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics (LICP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China. gxjiang@licp.cas.cn and University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, P. R. China.
authors.forename: Hui
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zhou
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Oxo Synthesis and Selective Oxidation, Suzhou Research Institute of LICP, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics (LICP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China. gxjiang@licp.cas.cn.
authors.forename: Jinlong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Oxo Synthesis and Selective Oxidation, Suzhou Research Institute of LICP, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics (LICP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China. gxjiang@licp.cas.cn.
authors.forename: Huameng
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Yang
authors.affiliation: State Key Laboratory for Oxo Synthesis and Selective Oxidation, Suzhou Research Institute of LICP, Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics (LICP), Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou 730000, P. R. China. gxjiang@licp.cas.cn.
authors.forename: Gaoxi
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jiang