Facile and scalable preparation of 2-imidazolylpyridines

A novel method for the synthesis of 2-imidazolylpyridines is presented. The reaction of 2-halopyridines, potassium carbonate, and imidazole at high temperatures under inert gas atmosphere leads exclusively to the formation of 2-imidazolylpyridines in high yields. The synthesis is scalable, comparatively inexpensive, and the products are easily isolable.