Continuous-Flow Synthesis and Derivatization of Aziridines through Palladium-Catalyzed C(sp(3) )-H Activation.

A continuous-flow synthesis of aziridines by palladium-catalyzed C(sp(3) )-H activation is described. The new flow reaction could be combined with an aziridine-ring-opening reaction to give highly functionalized aliphatic amines through a consecutive process. A predictive mechanistic model was developed and used to design the C-H activation flow process and illustrates an approach towards first-principles design based on novel catalytic reactions.