Abstract α‐substituted ketones are important chemical targets as synthetic intermediates as well as functionalities in natural products and pharmaceuticals. We report the α‐acetylation of C(sp3)−H substrates R−H with arylmethyl ketones ArC(O)Me to provide α‐alkylated ketones ArC(O)CH2R at RT withtBuOOtBu as oxidant via copper(I) ‐diketiminato catalysts. Proceeding via alkyl radicals R•, this method enables α‐substitution with bulky substituents without competing elimination that occurs in more traditional alkylation reactions between enolates and alkyl electrophiles. DFT studies suggest the intermediacy of copper(II) enolates [CuII](CH2C(O)Ar) that capture alkyl radicals R• to give R−CH2C(O)Ar outcompeting dimerization of the copper(II) enolate to give the 1,4‐diketone ArC(O)CH2CH2C(O)Ar. 
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                            Copper( ii ) ketimides in sp 3 C–H amination
                        
                    
    
            Commercially available benzophenone imine (HNCPh 2 ) reacts with β-diketiminato copper( ii ) tert -butoxide complexes [Cu II ]–O t Bu to form isolable copper( ii ) ketimides [Cu II ]–NCPh 2 . Structural characterization of the three coordinate copper( ii ) ketimide [Me 3 NN]Cu–NCPh 2 reveals a short Cu-N ketimide distance (1.700(2) Å) with a nearly linear Cu–N–C linkage (178.9(2)°). Copper( ii ) ketimides [Cu II ]–NCPh 2 readily capture alkyl radicals R˙ (PhCH(˙)Me and Cy˙) to form the corresponding R–NCPh 2 products in a process that competes with N–N coupling of copper( ii ) ketimides [Cu II ]–NCPh 2 to form the azine Ph 2 CN–NCPh 2 . Copper( ii ) ketimides [Cu II ]–NCAr 2 serve as intermediates in catalytic sp 3 C–H amination of substrates R–H with ketimines HNCAr 2 and t BuOO t Bu as oxidant to form N -alkyl ketimines R–NCAr 2 . This protocol enables the use of unactivated sp 3 C–H bonds to give R–NCAr 2 products easily converted to primary amines R–NH 2 via simple acidic deprotection. 
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                            - Award ID(s):
- 1955942
- PAR ID:
- 10322281
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Chemical Science
- Volume:
- 12
- Issue:
- 47
- ISSN:
- 2041-6520
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
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