Iron-Catalyzed Intramolecular Allylic C-H Amination

A highly selective C-H amination reaction under iron catalysis has been developed. This novel system, which employs an inexpensive, nontoxic [(FePc)-Pc-III] catalyst (typically used as an industrial ink additive), displays a strong preference for allylic C-H amination over aziridination and all other C-H bond types (i.e., allylic > benzylic > ethereal > 3 degrees > 2 degrees >> 1 degrees). Moreover, in polyolefinic substrates, the site selectivity can be controlled by the electronic and steric character of the allylic C-H bond. Although this reaction is shown to proceed via a stepwise mechanism, the stereoretentive nature of C-H amination for 3 degrees aliphatic C-H bonds suggests a very rapid radical rebound step.