SiO 2 -NHC-Cu –Catalyzed N -Arylation of Imidazoles with Arylboronic Acids Under Base-Free Reaction Conditions.

N-Arylation of imidazoles with arylboronic acids was efficiently carried out in the presence of a catalytic amount of SiO2-NHC-CuI in methanol at room temperature under base-free reaction conditions. The reactions of a variety of arylboronic acids with imidazoles generated the corresponding products N-arylimidazoles in good to excellent yields. In addition, SiO2-NHC-CuI could be recovered and recycled for six consecutive trials without significant loss of its reactivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]