Isoprene-catalyzed lithiation of imidazole: synthesis of 2-(hydroxyalkyl)- and 2-(aminoalkyl)imidazoles

2-Lithioimidazole was prepared by means of a new protocol, which consists of a slight excess of lithium metal in the presence of a substoichiometric amount of isoprene (20 mol%) in THF at room temperature. By reacting this organolithium with carbonyl electrophiles 2-(hydroxyalkyl)imidazoles were obtained, in good yields. As a result of the reaction of the mentioned lithium intermediate with imines , the corresponding 2-(aminoalkyl)imidazoles were isolated in excellent yields.