Diazabutadiene: a simple and efficient ligand for copper-catalyzed N-arylation of aromatic amines

Diazabutadienes (DABs) were chosen as ancillary ligands in the Cu-catalyzed C–N coupling reaction for the synthesis of triarylamines. A combination of CuI/DAB (1) [1: N,N′-bis(2,6-diisopropylphenyl)-1,4-diaza-1,3-butadiene] was found to be an efficient catalyst system for N-arylation of diarylamines and anilines with aryl iodides, affording the desired products in good to excellent yields.