A quantitative estimation for the ratio of F1 to F2 is very challenging, because the majority of the individual pathways depends on the presence and proximity of short-lived radical species. From a kinetic perspective, path B presents the lowest barriers, ΔG ‡ max = 15.6 kcal/mol, which suggest that given the right environment, F2 would be produced in higher amounts -a finding in line with experimental observations. The condensation to the final imine, from the amine and the in situ generated benzaldehyde proceeds via a well-known exergonic C-N coupling pathway with a reaction barrier of ΔG ‡ = 16 kcal/mol for this step (see SI for details). The released water promotes the main water-assisted reaction pathway -accelerating benzaldehyde formation.