A highly efficient synthetic strategy for synthesizing 3-arylsuccinimides has been developed from arenediazonium tetrafluoroborates and maleimides in the presence of TiCl3. The reactions generated 3-arylsuccinimides in satisfactory yields under mild reaction conditions. In addition, 3-arylmaleimides were obtained by the coupling of arenediazonium tetrafluoroborate and maleimides catalyzed by CuCl. This methodology provided the selective and tunable synthesis of two classes of products by simply switching different metal reagents. The methods are simple, efficient and practical.
