A copper-mediated oxidative N-cyanation reaction

Abstract

Copper-promoted N-cyanation of aliphatic sec-amine by CuCN is achieved via oxidative coupling. This procedure employs O2 as a clean oxidant. Notably, sulfoximines and 1,1,3,3-tetramethylguanidine also worked well in this procedure. Thus, it represents a key progress in the C-N bond formation reaction as well as in the cyanation reaction.