Cu(I)/TEMPO-catalyzed aerobic oxidative synthesis of imines directly from primary and secondary amines under ambient and neat conditions

By catalyst and condition screening, a simple Cu(I)/TEMPO-catalyst system was found to be an active and highly effective catalyst for the aerobic oxidation of amines to imines in open air at room temperature under neat conditions. This new method provided a mild, efficient, and practical alternative for the synthesis of the useful imines directly from primary and secondary amines.