Copper-catalyzed aerobic oxidative C-C bond cleavage of unstrained ketones with air and amines.

A unique copper-catalyzed aerobic oxidative C-C bond cleavage of simple unstrained ketones with air and amines has been developed. In this chemistry, amides and oxo amides are easily synthesized through the selective C-C bond cleavage of simple ketones or unstrained cycloketones. The broad substrate scopes and use of an inexpensive copper catalyst and green molecular oxygen as an oxidant as well as an O-source make this protocol very attractive for potential synthetic applications. The control experiments reveal that the present copper-catalyzed oxidative C-C bond cleavage of simple ketones proceeds in a novel catalytic pathway rather than through the cleavage of a dioxetane intermediate.