An efficient base-free N-arylation of imidazoles and amines with arylboronic acids using copper-exchanged fluorapatite.

N-Arylation of imidazoles and amines with arylboronic acids was accomplished with copper-exchanged fluorapatite (CuFAP) in methanol at room temperature. The products N-arylimidazoles and N-arylamines were isolated in good to excellent yields. A variety of arylboronic acids were converted to the corresponding N-arylimidazoles and N-arylamines, demonstrating the versatility of the reaction.