Synthesis of α-ketoamides via oxidative amidation of diazo compounds with O -benzoyl hydroxylamines as nitrogen source and the oxidant.

A simple, efficient method has been described for the construction of an array of α-ketoamides from readily available O -benzoyl hydroxylamines and diazo compounds as starting materials. There was a combined use of CuI as a catalyst and H 2 O as the oxygen source. The investigation reveals that the O -benzoyl hydroxylamines serve a dual role as both an amine source and the oxidant in this mechanism, thereby obviating the need for additional oxidants in the transformation process. This methodology could give a wider range of products in good to excellent yields for most substrates, and thus, we provide a new idea for the synthesis of α-ketoamides.