Cu-catalyzed aerobic oxidative amidation of aryl alkyl ketones with azoles to afford tertiary amides via selective C–C bond cleavage

Abstract

Chemoselective cleavage of the C(CO)–C(alkyl) bond in aryl ketones leading to azole amides is disclosed with a broad substrate scope. Aryl ketones with a variety of long-chain alkyl groups have been demonstrated to be active substrates and mechanism studies suggested that molecular oxygen serves both as an oxidant and a reactant in this strategy.