Copper?Catalyzed Dehydrogenative Amidation of Light Alkanes

The functionalization of C?H bonds in light alkanes, particularly to form C?N bonds, remains a challenge. We report the dehydrogenative coupling amides with C1–C4 hydrocarbons N-alkyl amide products tBuOOtBu as oxidant, and copper complex phenanthroline-type ligand catalyst. reactions occurred good yields benzene or supercritical carbon dioxide solvents. This strategy allowed for determination relative reactivity these alkane toward this amination process showed, contrast prior work larger that correlated bond dissociation energies.