CuI-catalyzed N,N’-diarylation of diamines of adamantane series

Abstract

A copper(I) complex-catalyzed N,N’-diarylation of diamines based on 1,3-disubstituted adamantane, using aryl iodides bearing electron-donating and electron-withdrawing substituents, was studied. In the case of 2,2’-(adamantane-1,3-diyl)ethanediamine, the optimal catalyst system is CuI—2-(isobutyryl)cyclohexanone—Cs₂CO₃—DMF. The highest yield of diarylation product was reached in the case of 4-methoxyiodobenzene (79%). In the case of more spatially hindered adamantane-1,3-diyldimethanamine, 1,1’-binaphthalene-2,2’-diol (BINOL) should be used, with the highest yield of the target product (84%) being reached in the reaction with iodobenzene.