Metal-free oxidative para-acylation of unprotected anilines with N-heteroarylmethanes?

Organic & Biomolecular Chemistry Pub Date: 2017-10-25 DOI: 10.1039/C7OB02490H

Abstract

A selective oxidative para-acylation of unprotected anilines with methyl groups in N-heteroarylmethanes was achieved. This transformation proceeds under mild metal-free reaction conditions to produce the corresponding valuable diarylmethanones in good to high yields, featuring high site-selectivity, high functional-group-tolerance, gram-scale synthesis and easy product-derivation. Preliminary mechanistic studies revealed that the present oxidative para-acylation would take place via a Friedel–Crafts-type process of in situ imines and the steric hindrance might be the key issue for the high regio-selectivity.

Graphical abstract: Metal-free oxidative para-acylation of unprotected anilines with N-heteroarylmethanes
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