Chloride based ionic liquids as promoting agents for Meerwein reaction in solventless conditions

Chloride based ionic liquids were used as chloride source in Meerwein reaction either in [bmim]X (bmim = 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium, X = BF4, PF6) as solvents or in solventless conditions. Satisfactory yields (49–71%) with diversely substituted diazonium salts were achieved by using 1,3-dibutylimidazolium chloride in the presence of a bimetallic Zn/Cu catalyst.