Nickel-Catalyzed Regio- and Stereospecific C-H Coupling of Benzamides with Aziridines

A nickel-catalyzed C-H coupling of 8-aminoquinoline-derived benzamides with aryl- and alkyl-substituted aziridines has been disclosed. The current strategy provides direct access to benzolactams by the C-H alkylation-intramolecular amidation cascade event with the concomitant removal of the aminoquinoline auxiliary. The regioselectivity of ring opening of aziridines can be controlled by the substituents. The reaction with chiral aziridines proceeds with inversion of configuration, thus suggesting an S(N)2-type nucleophilic ring-opening pathway.