Cobalt (II) complexes of porphyrins are effective catalysts for intramolecular nitrene insertion of C—H bonds with arylsulfonyl azides. The cobalt-catalyzed process can proceed efficiently under mild and neutral conditions in low catalyst loading without the need of other reagents or additives, generating nitrogen gas as the only byproduct. Using the simple tetraphenylporphyrin (TPP) as the ligand, the cobalt-catalyzed intramolecular amidation can be applied to primary, secondary, and tertiary C—H bonds and suitable for a broad range of arylsulfonyl azides, leading to the syntheses of various benzosultam derivatives in excellent yields