Iodine(III)-mediated C-H alkoxylation of aniline derivatives with alcohols under metal-free conditions

J Org Chem. 2014 Sep 19;79(18):8768-73. doi: 10.1021/jo501601u. Epub 2014 Sep 2.

Abstract

The development of a novel intermolecular oxidative C-H alkoxylation of aniline derivatives is described under metal-free conditions with high reaction rates at ambient temperature. In the presence of an I(III) oxidant, a range of aldehydes, anilines, and alcohol substrates undergo three-component coupling to produce synthetically useful alkoxyl-substituted N-arylimines. The preliminary mechanism investigations revealed that the transformation proceeds via imines as intermediates.