Nickel-catalysed dehydrogenative coupling of aromatic diamines with alcohols: selective synthesis of substituted benzimidazoles and quinoxalines

The nickel-catalysed dehydrogenative coupling of 1,2-di-amino-benzene with primary alcohols and diols for the synthesis of N-heterocycles is reported. The catalytic protocol enables the transformation in up to 91% yield and generates water and hydrogen gas as byproducts.