An improved method has been developed for the preparation of 5-iodo-1,2,3-triazoles
directly from organic azides and terminal alkynes by a reaction mediated by copper(I)
and iodinating agents generated in situ. The major methodological advance of the current
procedure is that it provides a high conversion and good iodo/proto selectivity with
a broad range of substrates without using an excess of the alkyne, which was required
in the previous method. The use of an accelerating ligand is essential to the success
of reactions involving unreactive azides or alkynes. New mechanistic insights are
provided, including the confirmation that a 1-iodoalkyne is formed as a key intermediate
under the established conditions for the reaction.
Key words
azides - alkynes - copper - catalysis - heterocycles - cyclizations - triazoles -
halogenation - iodine