N-heterocyclic carbene-catalyzed oxidative amidation of aldehydes with amines

Abstract

The N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC)-catalyzed oxidative amidation of aromatic aldehydes with amines in the presence of N-bromosuccinimide (NBS) as an oxidant has been developed for the synthesis of amides. This amidation strategy is tolerant to both the electronic and the steric nature of the aryl aldehydes employed. The present methodology was extended to chiral amino acid derivatives to generate the corresponding amides in good yields and excellent ee values (>98%).