Addition of aryl cuprates to azides: a novel approach for the synthesis of unsymmetrical diaryl amines

Aryl and benzyl azides react smoothly with aryl cuprates, generated in situ from aryl magnesium bromide and CuCN in THF to furnish a variety of unsymmetrical diaryl amines in good yields. This is the first report on the synthesis of diarylamines from aryl azides and aryl bromides via an organometallic approach.