Mild, convenient and versatile Cu-mediated synthesis of N-aryl-2-imidazolidinones

A mild, general, convenient and practical methodology for the selective copper-mediated mono N-arylation of unprotected 2-imidazolidinone was developed. Strong electron-donating groups and free hydroxy and amino groups on the aryl iodide substrates were well tolerated. The use of n-butanol as the solvent for the copper-catalysed mono-arylation of 2-imidazolidinone is unprecedented.