Copper-catalyzed ring-opening C(sp3)-N coupling of cycloketone oxime esters: access to 1°, 2° and 3° alkyl amines.

A novel copper-catalyzed C(sp3)-N coupling of cycloketone oxime esters with nitrogen nucleophiles has been realized. All of the N-aryl/alkylanilines, anilines and benzophenone imine could be employed in this protocol to produce a variety of 1°, 2° and 3° alkyl amines in one or two steps. These resultant cyano-containing alkyl amines were proven to be versatile synthetic building blocks in a variety of chemical transformations.