Copper-Catalyzed Cross-Dehydrogenative Coupling of N-Iminoquinolinium Ylides with Secondary Amines

The copper-catalyzed cross-dehydrogenative coupling of N-iminoquinolinium ylides with secondary amines led to ortho-amino-substituted quinoline derivatives with high levels of regioselectivity in good yields. This direct C–H bond amination transformation employs CuI as the catalyst without the use of a ligand, external oxidant, or base. The reaction is operationally simple and can be conducted under mild conditions. The N-benzoyl directing group can be removed without any additional steps.