Copper-catalyzed tandem oxidative cyclization of arylacetamides: efficient access to N-functionalized isatins

Abstract

An efficient copper-catalyzed synthesis of N-substituted isatins has been developed in good yields from easily accessible arylacetamides. A wide range of electronically and structurally varied nitrogen fragments could be assembled through this tandem C–O/C–N bond-forming process by tuning the reaction conditions.