1-Hydroxyimidazole loaded on Wang resin under Mitsunobu conditions was selectively deprotonated at C-2 by BuLi. The anion formed was then reacted with electrophiles or transmetallated with zinc chloride to give resin-bound imidazolylzinc chloride which was cross-coupled with aryl and heteroaryl iodides under palladium(0) catalysis. Cleavage using TFA-CH2Cl2 (1:1) at room temperature afforded 2-aryl/heteroaryl substituted 1-hydroxyimidazoles.
solid-phase synthesis - cross-coupling - palladium - zinc compounds - 1-hydroxyimidazole