Copper-Catalyzed Amidation of sp³ C−H Bonds Adjacent to a Nitrogen Atom

Abstract

We have developed a novel copper-catalyzed amidation of unactivated sp(3) C-H bonds adjacent to a nitrogen atom by using an inexpensive catalyst-oxidant (CuBr/(t)BuOOH) system under mild conditions. The dephenylation was first found for N-benzylaniline, and the new class of products provide diverse structures for pharmaceuticals and combinatorial chemistry.