Ligand free open air copper(II) mediated aryl formamidation and amination of aryl halides

• Direct foramidation procedure of electron rich aromatic halides was developed. • Aryl amination was performed on open air without copper ligand. • Economical approach to aryl C–N bond formation. • Copper(II) sulfate mediated reactions. A simple synthetic procedure for direct formamidation and amination of aryl halides mediated by copper(II) salts was developed in open air, without an external ligand in formamide with potassium carbonate as a base. This approach is particularly efficient when electron active aryl halides are used as substrates. In these cases almost quantitative formamidation was observed.