Selective bromination of γ-methylene C(spp>3p>)−H bonds of aliphatic amides and δ-methylene C(spp>3p>)−H bonds of nosyl-protected alkyl amines are developed using NBS as the brominating reagent and catalytic amount of Cup>IIp>/phenanthroline complexes as the catalyst. Aryl and benzylic C−H bonds at other locations remain intact during this directed radical abstraction reaction.