First example of using a ionic liquid in electrophilic amination of arenes. Amination of methylbenzenes with the system NaN3-AlCl3-HCl.

The article presents a study to examine the possibility of using ionic liquids as solvents in electrophilic amination of arenes. The use of ionic liquids as a medium for organic reactions has attracted increasing interest. Ionic liquids are considered to be green solvents which possess a combination of unique properties, such as low volatility and toxicity and high thermal and chemical stability and polarity. The latter property makes them especially attractive for carrying out heterolytic reactions, in particular electrophilic aromatic substitution. Up to now, ionic liquids have been used in alkylation and acylation.