Mn-Catalyzed oxidative amination of benzylic C(sp3)–H bonds with nitriles is disclosed, which enables the synthesis of a broad range of secondary amides in moderate to excellent yields under mild conditions. The interaction between Mn(III) and DDQ facilitates the oxidation and makes it highlyefficient and selective.
Reactions between various benzyl alcohols or tert-butyl alcohol and nitriles were carried out in the presence of catalytic amounts (usually 10–20 mol-%) of o-benzenedisulfonimide as a Bronsted acidcatalyst; the reaction conditions were mild and the yields of amides were good. The catalyst was easily recovered and purified, ready to be used in further reactions, with economic and ecological advantages
Directaminations of allylic alcohols, benzylic alcohols, and benzhydrols with electron‐withdrawing (F, Br, I, NO2, or CN) substituents were efficiently catalyzed by aluminumtriflate [Al(OTf)3] to afford the corresponding biarylamines in high yield, and the dibromo‐substituted product was further transformed into letrozole.