Complex N-Heterocycle Synthesis via Iron-Catalyzed, Direct C–H Bond Amination

Closing the Cycle Cyclic hydrocarbons that incorporate nitrogen in the ring are among the most heavily investigated compounds in medicinal chemistry. Hennessy and Betley (p. 591 ) demonstrate an iron catalyst that forms a range of such cyclic compounds by inducing linear alkyl azides to curl back on themselves, inserting the nitrogen at one end into a carbon-hydrogen bond further down the chain. The reaction furthers a trend of C-H bond activation chemistry that forms elaborate products from relatively simple precursors, without the need to install activating groups at unreactive sites.