Copper-Catalyzed Oxidative Direct Cyclization of<i>N</i>-Methylanilines with Electron-Deficient Alkenes Using Molecular Oxygen

Abstract

The oxidative direct cyclizaion of N-methylanilines with electron-deficient alkenes involving maleimides and benzylidene malononitriles through sp(3) and sp(2) C-H bond cleavage proceeds effectively under a CuCl(2)/O(2) catalysis to provide the corresponding tetrahydroquinolines in good yields.