Highly efficient synthesis of primary amides via aldoximes rearrangement in water under air atmosphere catalyzed by an ionic ruthenium pincer complex

Abstract

The transformation of aldoximes to primary amides has been evaluated using pincer ruthenium complexes a–c, among which the ionic Ru catalyst a proved to be the most efficient in water under air atmosphere. A variety of (hetero)arene aldoximes proceeded smoothly to afford amides in high yields with good functional group compatibilities. Furthermore, a direct synthetic route of amides from aldehydes, hydroxylamine hydrochloride and sodium carbonate was also described with broad substrates including conjugated and aliphatic aldehydes. This protocol is operationally simple and proceeds with a low catalyst loading (0.5 mol%).