Catalytic three-component carboamination of unactivated alkenes with primary sulfonamides†

Catalytic multicomponent reactions offer an efficient synthetic approach for constructing multiple chemical bonds in a single step. However, the carboamination of unactivated alkenes, involving nitrogen radical species directly from N–H precursors, is infrequent due to the high bond energy and challenges in step matching. Herein we demonstrate a catalytic radical three-component reaction using simple primary sulfonamides, which provides a novel method for constructing a library of complex architectures through carbon–nitrogen and carbon–carbon bond formation. The newly developed method demonstrates a high degree of tolerance towards various functional groups, proving to be highly efficient in the late-stage modification of complex drug molecules and natural products under very mild conditions.