New efficient ligand for sub-mol % copper-catalyzed C–N cross-coupling reactions running under air

A new efficient ligand, N,N’’-dimethyldiethylene triamine (DMDETA), has been synthesized and evaluated for sub-mol % copper-catalyzed C–N cross-coupling reactions. The efficiency of the ligand was determined by kinetic methods. DMDETA proved to display efficiency similar to DMEDA and, in addition, the resulting catalyst was tolerant to air.