Direct synthesis of ortho-dihalogenated arylpyrimidines using calcium halides as halogen sources

Pyrimidines and their derivatives have been used as important motifs in materials and medicinal chemistry. In this Letter, a wide variety of ortho-dihalogenated arylpyrimidines were synthesized with high yields and functional-group tolerance using calcium halides as crucial halogenating agents and cupric trifluoroacetate as oxidant in the presence of air. The generated dichlorinated products could be further manipulated by stepwise Suzuki–Miyaura reaction to afford a wide range of ortho-functionalized arylpyrimidines amenable to physical and biological evaluations.