Synthesis of 1,4,5-trisubstituted-1,2,3-triazoles via coupling reaction of diaminomaleonitrile with aromatic diazonium salts

A mild procedure for the preparation of 2-(5-amino-1-aryl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)-2-iminoacetonitriles and 2-(5-amino-1-aryl-1H-1,2,3-triazol-4-yl)-2-oxoacetonitriles was achieved by the reaction of diaminomaleonitrile and phenyl/substituted phenyl diazonium chlorides. 4-Nitrophenyl diazonium chloride afforded 2-amino-3-(3-(4-nitrophenyl)triaz-1-en-1-yl)maleonitrile. Triazole iminoacetonitrile and maleonitrile derivatives were reacted further with excess acetone and benzaldehyde with a catalytic amount of 1,8-diazabicyclo5.4.0]undec-7-ene to yield 5-(5-imino-2,2-dimethyl-2,5-dihydrooxazol-4-yl)-3-aryl-3H-1,2,3-triazol-4-amine and (E)-N-benzylidene-5-(5-imino-2-aryl-2,5-dihydrooxazol-4-yl)-3-aryl-3H-1,2,3-triazol-4-amine, respectively. Two competitive reactions, i.e., nucleophilic substitution and nucleophilic addition, were observed when triazole oxoacetonitrile and maleonitrile derivatives were reacted with hydroxylamine hydrochloride in the presence of sodium acetate.