Ruthenium porphyrins-catalyzed atom-efficient amination of C-H bonds by arylazides

Benzylic amines are synthesized in yield up to 90% by the Ru(TPP)CO-catalyzed amination of both exocyclic and endocyclic benzylic C-H bonds. The choice of arylazides as nitrogen sources confers to the methodology a good sustainability due to the formation of molecular nitrogen as the only stoichiometric by-product. A preliminary mechanistic investigation evidenced a critical role of the hydrocarbon concentration to drive the chemoselectivity of the reaction.