Microwave assisted water mediated benzylic C-H functionalization of methyl aza-arenes and nucleophilic addition to aromatic aldehydes

A highly efficient method is described for the sp(3) C-H bond functionalization of methyl aza-arenes in the presence of water under microwave irradiation and subsequent addition to aromatic aldehydes. This transformation represents an efficient way to synthesize 2-alkyl aza-arene derivatives from simple starting materials. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.