## 1 Introduction  
Thanks to the reactivity of open-shell organic compounds, radical synthetic methodologies often require a low energy input. Atom transfer radical techniques provide the additional benefit of a high atom economy, achieved by terminating the generated radical intermediates with halogen atoms, thereby preserving the initially present functionality. These properties can be exploited to reach a high efficiency and sustainability in the synthesis of new molecular or polymeric targets. The described reactivity is typically controlled using a catalytic amount of a transition metal complex, capable to oversee the generation and termination of the intermediate radical species, resulting in high product selectivities. Among the various atom transfer radical techniques, atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) stands out as the most widely used today [1]. ATRP enables the construction of polymeric materials with precise control, i.e., narrow polydispersity, and halogen-capped chain ends. In addition, other atom transfer radical techniques applied to the synthesis of low molecular weight targets are also well known. These include atom transfer radical addition (ATRA) and atom transfer radical cyclization (ATRC) processes [2], which provide an environmental-friendly route to industrially appealing building blocks or pharmaceuticals. A classic example is the transition metal-catalyzed ATRC of \(N\)-allyl-2,2-dichloroamides, which enables access to functionalized specialty chemicals [3]. The process starts with the reversible interaction between the substrate (e.g., **1** of Figure 1) and the metal catalyst, composed of a transition metal salt (e.g., CuCl) and a nitrogen polydentate ligand (\(L\), e.g., tris(2-pyridylmethyl)amine, TPMA). Through a monoelectronic halogen transfer, the active catalyst Cu(I)Cl-_L_ is oxidized to Cu(II)Cl2-_L_, generating the radical **1'**. This species can be considered electrophilic, since the radical-bearing carbon is surrounded by electron-withdrawing groups (EWGs). Featuring a low-lying SOMO, its interaction with the electron-rich alkenyl moiety is anticipated to be rapid, particularly when an appropriate auxiliary group on the nitrogen atom (e.g., Ph) induces a favorable conformational push from _trans_-**1'** to _cis_-**1'**[4], leading to a fast conversion towards the cyclic radical **1''**. The absence of EWGs near the radical center in **1''** renders it nucleophilic, thus slowing down its intermolecular addition to other substrate molecules. This allows the use of less solvent while maintaining a high productivity and a high selectivity towards the cyclic product, even when working at molar concentrations. Typically, **1''** exhibits a high affinity for the oxidized form of the metal catalyst, which acts as a persistent radical [5]. This interaction not only leads to the conversion of **1''** into product **2**, but also lets the regeneration of the metal catalyst in its active form. This irreversible regeneration step suggests that the radical cycle may be sustained by a very low amount of catalyst but, in practice, inevitable termination events lead to the progressive build-up of the oxidized form of the catalyst. Thus, to achieve complete conversion, higher amounts of metal catalysts are employed, typically around 10 mol%. To further improve reaction control and sustainability, a proper reducing agent (\"red.\" in Figure 1) can be added to reactivate the spent catalyst. Among the various alternatives, the activators regenerated by electron transfer (ARGET) process, which employs non-radical reducing agents, is well developed and can work with very low metal loads [6]. Thus, the ARGET-ATRC of easily assembled dichloroamides offers an effective and sustainable route to dichloro-\(\gamma\)-lactams. These compounds represent advanced intermediates found within various valuable targets, such as anti-hypertensives [7], psychotropic agents [8], proteolysis inhibitors [9], antimuscarinic agents [10], and herbicides [11; 12].