Copper-catalyzed amidation of allylic and benzylic C-H bonds

A copper-catalyzed amidation of allylic and benzylic C-H bonds with both primary and secondary sulfonamides is described. The reaction is applicable to the coupling of a diverse set of hydrocarbon species with aryl, heteroaryl, and alkyl sulfonamides and is tolerant of a variety of functional groups. Mechanistic insight has been gained through the isolation of a benzylic acetate intermediate, which was demonstrated to undergo facile conversion to the substituted sulfonamide product under copper catalysis.