An efficient synthesis of fused imidazo-heterocycles is described using Cu(OTf)2in [bmim]BF4by the multi-component reaction of pyridin-2(1
One-pot, multi-pathway, and atom economic synthesis of imidazoles and thiazoles has been achieved. In the catalytic system, I2/TBHP as an initiator and oxidant is used to realize sp3, sp2 and sp C–H functionalization.