Expeditious Synthesis of Phenanthridines from Benzylamines via Dual Palladium Catalysis

A method for the synthesis of phenanthridines from benzylamines and aryl iodides which uses a dual palladium-catalyzed process is developed. The domino sequence ends via an intramolecular amination and an oxidative dehydrogenation. No protecting group or prefunctionalization of the amine is required, and the process uses dioxygen as the terminal oxidan