Iron-Catalyzed Synthesis of 2H-Imidazoles from Oxime Acetates and Vinyl Azides under Redox-Neutral Conditions

A novel and versatile method for the synthesis of 2H-imidazoles via iron-catalyzed [3 + 2] annulation from readily available oxime acetates with vinyl azides has been developed. This denitrogenative process involved N-O/N-N bond cleavages and two C-N bond formations to furnish 2,4-substituted 2H-imidazoles. This protocol was performed under mild reaction conditions and needed no additives or ligands. Furthermore, this is a green reaction involving oxime acetate as internal oxidant, acetic acid, and nitrogen as byproducts.