Selective Synthesis of 2-Substituted and 1,2-Disubstituted Benzimidazoles Directly from Aromatic Diamines and Alcohols Catalyzed by Molecularly Defined Nonphosphine Manganese(I) Complex

Herein, we present a selective synthesis of 2-substituted and 1,2-disubstituted benzimidazoles by acceptorless dehydrogenative coupling of aromatic diamine with primary alcohols. The reaction is catalyzed by a phosphine-free tridentate NNS ligand-derived manganese(I) complex.