Aqueous C-H aminomethylation of phenols by iodine catalysis.

A transition-metal-free strategy regarding an iodine-sodium percarbonate catalysis to achieve the ortho -aminomethylation of phenols in aqueous media has been developed. This method can effectively broaden a wide range of phenols, tolerate sensitive functional groups, and achieve the late-stage functionalization of ten functional molecules that contain phenolic structures.