Palladium-catalyzed oxidation of Boc-protected N-methylamines with IOAc as the oxidant: a Boc-directed sp3 C-H bond activation.

[Structure: see text] Pd-catalyzed selective oxidation of Boc-protected N-methylamines with IOAc as the oxidant is described. Evidence for the involvement of a Boc-directed C-H activation process is provided.