Copper‐Catalyzed Oxidative Coupling Reaction of α,β‐Unsaturated Aldehydes with Amidines: Synthesis of 1,2,4‐Trisubstituted‐1H‐imidazole‐5‐carbaldehydes.

A practical and highly functional group-compatible synthesis of 1,2,4-trisubstituted-1H-imidazole-5-carbaldehydes has been developed via copper-catalyzed oxidative coupling of amidines and α,β-unsaturated aldehydes, which features aldehyde preservation, cheap catalysts, as well as high atom economy and mild conditions.