The first transition-metal free and regioselective C(sp(3))-H arylation of 2-alkylazaarenes with nitroarenes has been achieved via t-BuOK-mediated dehydrogenative C(sp(3))-C(sp(2)) coupling. This reaction provides an efficient access to the biologically important and synthetically useful 2-benzyl-substituted azaarenes under mild conditions without the need of prefunctionalization of 2-alkylazaarenes or using the specialized arylating agents.
Zakhs,E.R. et al., Journal of Organic Chemistry USSR (English Translation), 1979, vol. 15, p. 1926 - 1933