N-Arylation of heterocycles promoted by tetraethylenepentamine in water

Tetraethylenepentamine and triethylenetetramine are found to be efficient organic bases for the N-arylation of pyrazole and imidazole with aryl and heteroaryl-iodides and -bromides catalyzed by CuI in water at moderate temperature. The cross-couplings proceed smoothly with good to excellent yields and a variety of functional groups are tolerated under this condition.