A copper (II)-catalyzed N-N bond forming reaction was developed by the direct dehydrogenative homocoupling of N-alkylanilines, affording N, N'-dialkyl or N, N'-diphenylhydrazines in 52-82% yields. This new method has advantages of using inexpensive CuSO4 center dot 5H(2)O as a catalyst and CuO as an oxidant, under air condition, direct synthesis from N-alkylanilines, simple manipulations, mild reaction conditions, and satisfactory yields. The possible mechanism thr...