A Cu(I)-promoted one-pot ‘SNAr–click reaction’ of fluoronitrobenzenes

A one-pot two-step sequence involving a nucleophilic aromatic substitution (SNAr) of activated fluorobenzenes with azide nucleophile and in situ Huisgen cycloaddition of the resulting aryl azides with alkynes has been developed for a rapid access to 1,4-substituted triazoles. Control experiments revealed that both the steps are catalyzed by Cu(I) and also the course of reaction as SNAr followed by [3+2]-cycloaddition.