Arylation of anilines: formation of diarylamines using diaryliodonium salts

Extensive studies on the reaction of the fluoride ion with diaryliodonium salts demonstrated that this is a generic process for the formation of fluoroarenes and has particular advantages for the preparation of fluorine-18 radiopharmaceuticals. During these studies it became apparent that nucleophiles other than the fluoride ion may be employed for generating substituted aromatics. This approach can be applied, using substituted anilines as the nucleophilic reagent, to the formation of a range of diarylamines in good yield. Optimised conditions for the reaction of a diaryliodonium salt with an aniline utilise TFA as the preferred counter-ion in DMF (130 °C, 24 h).