Nickel complexes of N-heterocyclic carbenes were examined for effecting C–N coupling reactions between aromatic diamines and aryl chlorides of varying electron density. The Ni (0)· 2IPr (IPr= N, N′-bis (2, 6-diisopropylphenyl) imidazol-2-ylidene) complex associated to t-BuONa allowed N, N′-diarylation at 100° C in 1, 4-dioxane with excellent yields. Selective monoarylation of diamines could be performed in THF at 65° C.
