Abstract
1,2,4-Trisubstituted-(1H)-imidazoles have been synthesized by the Cu(OTf)(2)- and I(2)-catalyzed unusual C-C bond cleavage of chalcones and benzylamines. After the α,β-unsaturated C-C bond cleavage, the β-portion is eliminated from the reaction. Various aryl- and heteroaryl-substituted chalcones and benzylamines were well tolerated in this unusual transformation to yield the trisubstituted-(1H)-imidazoles.