Amination of benzylic C–H bonds by aryl azides catalysed by CoII(porphyrin) complexes. A new reaction leading to secondary amines and imines

CoII(porphyrin) complexes catalyse the reaction of aromatic azides, ArN3, with hydrocarbons containing a benzylic group, R1R2R3CH, to give the corresponding amines, R1R2R3C-NHAr. When at least one of the R1–R3 substituents is hydrogen, the catalytic reaction proceeds further to give the imines R1R2CNAr in good yields.