Transition metal-free oxidative ortho-acylation of phenols with N-heteroarylmethanes via double C–H activation†
Abstract
The direct oxidative acylation of phenols with N-heteroarylmethanes via sp3C–H and sp2C–H double activation was achieved under transition metal-free reaction conditions. This transformation proceeds in a facile I2/DMSO/O2 system regio-selectively to produce valuable (2-hydroxyphenyl)arylmethanones from easily available starting materials in moderate to good yields. A plausible mechanism was proposed.