Illustrated Glossary of Organic Chemistry

Sandmeyer reaction: A substitution reaction in which an aryldiazonium salt is reacted with a chloride, bromide, or iodide ion, affording the corresponding aryl halide product. Variations of the Sandmeyer reaction allow the synthesis of phenols, arylthioethers, aryl fluorides (the Schiemann reaction), and arylnitriles.

In the Sandmeyer reaction, a primary aryl amine such as aniline is diazotized to produce an aryl diazonium salt. This diazonium salt is then reacted with a halide ion (X^-) to produce the corresponding aryl halide product.


Variations of the Sandmeyer reaction can be used to synthesize phenols, aryl thioethers, aryl fluorides (the Schiemann reaction), and aryl nitriles.