Simple and sustainable iron-catalyzed aerobic C-H functionalization of N,N-dialkylanilines.

Iron(III) chloride catalyzes the aerobic oxidation of tertiary anilines, including tetrahydroisoquinolines, to form reactive iminium ion intermediates that undergo Mannich reactions with silyloxyfurans, nitroalkanes, and other nucleophiles to give the corresponding butenolides, nitro compounds, and α-substituted tetrahydroisoquinolines, respectively, in good to excellent yields.