Iron-Catalyzed Direct Synthesis of Amides from Methylarenes

Abstract

An efficient, green and first catalytic process has been developed for the direct synthesis of amides from readily available petroleum by-products (methylarenes) and amines using an iron catalyst. In this new catalytic reaction, the methyl group of the methylarene is oxidized to the corresponding aldehyde through non-directed Curn:x-wiley:16154150:media:ADSC201401086:tex2gif-inf-1H oxidation followed by its oxidative amidation with N-chloroamine, yielding the carboxylic amide. Oxidation with an iron catalyst, tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) as sole oxidant, the synthesis of amides under mild reaction conditions and the utilization of methylarenes as starting material make this methodology novel and environmentally benign.