Highly efficient aerobic ruthenium-catalyzed oxidative cross-dehydrogenative coupling for sp3–sp3 carbon–carbon bond formation

A highly efficient sp3–sp3 carbon–carbon bond formation system was developed for the aerobic ruthenium-catalyzed oxidative cross-dehydrogenative coupling reaction between tertiary amines and sp3 C–H compounds in the presence of RuCl3/O2, thus giving the corresponding α-functionalized amines. Compared with the reported method, H2O2 or tBuOOH was replaced successfully by economical and facile oxygen as the oxidant. Three types of activated C–H bonds for pronucleophiles were evaluated in this system. All these features combined are in accordance with important prospective green chemistry aspects.