Catalytic CH Amination with Unactivated Amines through Copper(II) Amides

En route to catalysis: Two equivalents of the three-coordinate copper(II) amide [(Cl2NN)Cu]-NHAd participate in stoichiometric CH amination by a H-atom abstraction/radical capture sequence. This active species may be generated through a copper(II) tert-butoxide intermediate to allow for the unprecedented catalytic amination of sp3-CH bonds with unactivated alkylamines. This method greatly expands the range of amines for catalytic CH amination since most protocols require N-based electron-withdrawing groups.