Transamination at the Crossroad of the One-Pot Synthesis of N-Substituted Quinonediimines and C-Substituted Benzobisimidazoles.

A green and very efficient synthesis of N-substituted benzoquinonediimines or C-substituted benzo-bis(imidazole) derivatives is described under similar conditions. The different reaction pathway is only controlled by the nature of the primary amines, which tunes the reactivity of the intermediates.