Copper loaded nitrogen-rich mesoporous carbon nitride as a highly efficient photocatalyst for selective oxidative cleavage of C(sp3)–C(sp3) bonds at room temperature under visible light

Catalytic selective cleavage reaction of the C(sp3)–C(sp3) bond has received little attention, despite its importance in organic synthesis and biochemistry. Herein, a novel copper loaded nitrogen-rich mesoporous carbon nitride material was designed and synthesized, and utilized as a highly efficient photocatalyst for the inert C–C bond cleavage of amines under blue light irradiation. With oxygen as a benign oxidant, good to excellent yields were achieved for various functionalized amines at room temperature, even including sluggish aliphatic amines. The method may provide a cost-effective and environmentally friendly alternative for the direct oxidative cleavage of amines.