Copper-catalyzed tandem oxidative cyclization of cinnamamides with benzyl hydrocarbons through cross-dehydrogenative coupling

The copper-catalyzed tandem oxidative cyclization of cinnamamides with benzyl hydrocarbons through the direct cross-dehydrogenative coupling of sp(3) and sp(2) C-H bonds has been developed. Satisfactorily, ethers, alcohols and alkanes could also be used instead of benzyl hydrocarbons in this transformation, which allows rapid access to diverse dihydroquinolinones in one step.