Greater variety in Groebke–Blackburn type 3-arylaminoimidazo[1,2-a]azines accessed via Pd-catalyzed arylation of a primary amine precursor

The scope of the Groebke–Blackburn reaction of 2-aminoazines is limited by the availability of isocyanides. To prepare the Groebke–Blackburn type 2-phenyl-3-(hetero)arylaminoimidazo[1,2-a]azines, for which the respective (hetero)arylisocyanides are scarce or unavailable, a general Pd-catalyzed protocol has been developed that is useful for the arylation of known 2-phenylimidazo[1,2-a]pyridin-3-amine and 2-phenylimidazo[1,2-a]pyrazin-3-amine with various electron-deficient aryl and heteroaryl halides.