Sulfuryl Chloride as an Efficient Initiator for the Metal-Free Aerobic Cross-Dehydrogenative Coupling Reaction of Tertiary Amines

A metal-free cross-dehydrogenative (CDC) reaction of tertiary amines was developed using a catalytic amount of sulfuryl chloride (SO2Cl2) under mild aerobic conditions. On the basis of the nature of SO2Cl2, it was assumed that the reagent acts as a radical initiator to induce the metal-free CDC reaction via a radical-initiated autoxidation mechanism.