Ligand-free trifluoromethylation of iodoarenes by use of 2-Aryl-2-trifluoromethylbenzimidazoline as new trifluoromethylating reagent

N-Methyl 2-aryl-2-trifluoromethylbenzimidazolines were synthesized and utilized in the trifluoromethylation reaction of iodoarenes in the presence of copper(I) salt and base. Iodoarenes bearing electron-donating and electron-withdrawing groups were tolerant to this reaction in the absence of a ligand and gave trifluorotoluene derivatives in good to high yields.