Recent Advances in the Construction of C-N Bonds Through Coupling Reactions between Carbon Radicals and Nitrogen Radicals

C-N bonds are widely found in natural products, medicinal molecules and multifunctional materials. In recent years, the construction of C-N bonds through a radical coupling reaction between carbon-centered radicals with nitrogen-centered radicals has emerged as a frontier area in organic chemistry. This review summarizes the recent advances (especially those after 2012) in radical coupling reactions that facilitate the formation of C-N bonds. The main achievements on this area are presented according to the pattern of the nitrogen-centered radicals generated. Selected examples of substrates are listed and special attention is paid to the reaction mechanisms. Moreover, a personal outlook is described at the end. 1 Introduction 2 Direct Generation of Nitrogen Radicals 3 Generation of Nitrogen Radicals via Decarbonylation 4 Generation of NO2 or NO Radicals 5 Conclusion and Outlook