Lanthanum Pentafluorobenzoate-Catalyzed Aerobic Oxidative Olefination of Benzylamines with 2-Methylquinoline through Deamination and C–H Bond Functionalization

An efficient direct aerobic oxidative olefination of the methyl groups of 2-methylquinolines with benzylamines in the presence of a rare-earth-metal Lewis acid catalyst to give 2-styrylquinolines was successfully developed. Preliminary mechanistic studies revealed that the oxidative olefination reaction proceeds through a Lewis acid-catalyzed 2-methylquinoline-aldehyde condensation and an amine-aldehyde condensation.