Copper-Catalyzed N‑Arylation of Azoles and Mannich-Type Coupling of Ketones and Azoles under Metal-Free Conditions

A new process has been developed for the copper-catalyzed direct N-arylation of five-membered heterocycles with azoles. Five-membered heterocycles bearing an acetyl group also underwent a Mannich-type reaction with activated azoles to give the corresponding β-amino ketones under metal-free conditions. These reactions exhibited wide substrate scope, high functional group tolerance, and ease of operation, making them useful tools with numerous potential applications in synthetic chemistry.