Rhodium-Catalyzed N -Arylation of 2-Pyridones Enabled by 1,6-Acyl Migratory Rearrangement of 2-Oxypyridines.

An efficient rhodium-catalyzed dearomative rearrangement of 2-oxypyridines with quinone diazides has been developed for the direct synthesis of N -arylated pyridones, in which a novel 1,6- O -to- O rather than 1,4- O -to- C acyl rearrangement has been achieved under mild reaction conditions.