Direct synthesis of ortho-dihalogenated arylpyrimidines using calcium halides as halogen sources

Pyrimidines and their derivatives have been used as important motifs in materials and medicinal chemistry. In this Letter, a wide variety of ortho-dihalogenated arylpyrimidines were synthesized with high yields and functional-group tolerance using calcium halides as crucial halogenating agents and cupric trifluoroacetate as oxidant in the presence of air. The generated dichlorinated products could be further manipulated by stepwise Suzuki-Miyaura reaction to afford a wide range of ortho-functionalized arylpyrimidines amenable to physical and biological evaluations.