Cu-catalyzed oxidative Povarov reactions between N-alkyl N-methylanilines and saturated oxa- and thiacycles

Cu-catalyzed oxidative Povarov reactions between N,N-dialkylanilines and saturated oxa- or thiacycles with tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) are described; notably, the reactions use neither [4π] nor [2π]-motifs as the initial reagents. The use of cheap alkane-based substances as building units is of mechanistic and practical interest as two inert sp(3) C-H bonds are activated.