Practical synthesis of pyrazoles via a copper-catalyzed relay oxidation strategy.

Various 1,3- and 1,3,4-substituted pyrazoles are smoothly formed via copper-catalyzed cascade reactions of oxime acetates, amines and aldehydes. This relay oxidative process involves copper-promoted N-O bond cleavage and C-C/C-N/N-N bond formations to furnish pyrazolines, and sequential Cu-O2 system-involved oxidative dehydrogenation of pyrazolines to afford pyrazoles. This transformation provides a novel and versatile approach for the synthesis of pyrazoles, with an inexpensive copper catalyst and green oxidants. It is atom- and step-economical, and possesses a good functional group tolerance, as well as operational simplicity.