A Biologically Inspired CuI/Topaquinone‐Like Co‐Catalytic System for the Highly Atom‐Economical Aerobic Oxidation of Primary Amines to Imines

Acting together: Low catalytic amounts of CuI and topaquinone-like catalyst 1ox (see scheme) are sufficient to activate the α-CH bond of primary amines, which are converted into alkylated imines under ambient conditions. This atom-economical process tolerates the presence of various reactive functional groups and allows selective cross-coupling of two amines.