Copper-catalyzed cross dehydrogenative coupling reactions of tertiary amines with ketones or indoles.

A novel cross dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) reaction of N,N-dimethylanilines with methyl ketones by cooperative copper and aminocatalysis has been developed, which leads to the formation of β-arylamino ketones in 42-73% yields. Moreover, the copper-catalyzed alkylation of free (NH) indoles with N,N-dimethylanilines via CDC reaction is also presented, affording alkylated indoles in 52-78% yields.