The direct alkylation of unactivated sp3 C–H bonds of aliphatic amides was achieved via nickel catalysis with the assist of a bidentate directing group. The reaction favors the C–H bonds of methyl groups over the methylene C–H bonds and tolerates various functional groups. Moreover, this reaction shows a predominant preference for sp3 C–H bonds of methyl groups via a five-membered ring intermediate over the sp2 C–H bonds of arenes in ...
[Hoffman, W. F.; Alberts, A. W.; Anderson, P. S.; Chen, J. S.; Smith, R. L.; Willard, A. K. Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, 1986 , vol. 29, # 5 p. 849 - 852]
