Copper-catalyzed iminohalogenation of γ, δ-unsaturated oxime esters with halide salts: Synthesis of 2-halomethyl pyrrolines

[Display omitted] •First copper-catalyzed iminohalogenation of γ, δ-unsaturated oxime esters with KX (X = I, Br, Cl).•Readily available catalyst and halide source.•New method for the efficient synthesis of diversiform 2-halomethyl pyrrolines.•Good functional group compatibility, moderate to excellent yields, simple operations. A copper-catalyzed iminohalogenation of unactivated alkenes of γ, δ-unsaturated oxime esters is achieved by using readily available halide salts. Utilizing this protocol, a sequence of structurally diversiform 2-halomethyl pyrrolines are efficiently synthesized and a mechanism involving iminyl radical intermediates, which were initiated by Cu(I) species, was proposed.