User‐Friendly Copper‐Catalysed Reduction of Azides to Amines

Three homoleptic copper(I) complexes have been prepared and applied to the reduction of organic azides. Under optimised conditions, complex [Cu(HPDIDMA)2]BF4 3 (HPDIDMA=2,6‐bis[N‐(4‐dimethylaminophenyl)carbaldimino]pyridine) could reduce a range of electron‐poor azides in a mixture of DMSO and water without the need of an additional H‐source. The reduction of electron‐poor azides into the corresponding amines or amides is presented. The developed catalytic system is based on an air‐stable copper(I) catalysts and DMSO/water as both solvent/H‐donor.