A suspension of imidazole (4.54 g, 0.0668 mol) in anhydrous benzene (200 mL) in a flask fitted with a drying apparatus was treated at 8C with a solution of benzoyl chloride (4.69 ) in benzene (20 mL).
g, 0.0333 mol) in benzene (20 mL). The mixture was allowed to warm to room temperature and stirred for 16 hours.
The precipitated imidazole hydrochloride was removed by filtration through a funnel and the clarified filtrate was concentrated under reduced pressure to give N-benzoyl imidazolylide as a viscous, hygroscopic oil in a yield of 5.78 g. It was stored at 0C in a tightly closed container.
