Nickel-catalyzed direct alkylation of C-H bonds in benzamides and acrylamides with functionalized alkyl halides via bidentate-chelation assistance.

The alkylation of the ortho C-H bonds in benzamides and acrylamides containing an 8-aminoquinoline moiety as a bidentate directing group with unactivated alkyl halides using nickel complexes as catalysts is described. The reaction shows high functional group compatibility. In reactions of meta-substituted aromatic amides, the reaction proceeds in a highly selective manner at the less hindered C-H bond.