Reductive coupling of hydantoins with benzophenones by low-valent titanium: Synthesis of 4-substituted 1H-imidazol-2(3H)-ones and unusual two-to-two coupled products

The reductive coupling of 1,3-dimethyhydantoin with benzophenones by TiCl₄-Zn in THF gave 4-diarylmethyl-1H-imidazol-2(3H)-ones as four-electron reduced one-to-one coupled products and their dimers as two-to-two coupled products predominantly by controlling the reaction conditions. The reductive coupling of 5-alkyl-1,3-dimethyhydantoins with benzophenones produced 5-alkyl-4-diarylmethyl-1H-imidazol-2(3H)-ones as the sole products irrespective to the reaction conditions. On the other hand, the reductive coupling of 1,3-dimethyhydantoin with cyclic benzophenones selectively 4-arylhydroxymethyl-1H-imidazol-2(3H)-ones as two-electron reduced one-to-one coupled products and they were further reduced to 4-diarylmethyl-1H-imidazol-2(3H)-ones.