Au(i)/Au(iii)-Catalyzed C-N coupling

Cycling between Au(i) and Au(iii) is challenging, so gold-catalyzed cross-couplings are rare. The (MeDalphos)AuCl complex, which we showed was prone to undergo oxidative addition, is reported here to efficiently catalyze the C-N coupling of aryl iodides and amines. The transformation does not require an external oxidant or a directing group. It is robust and works with a wide scope of aryl iodides and N-nucleophiles under mild conditions. Mechanistic studies, including the NMR and MS characterization of a key aryl amido Au(iii) complex, strongly support a 2e redox cycle in which oxidative addition precedes transmetalation and reductive elimination is the rate-determining step.