Synthesis of 2-aminobenzophenones through acylation of anilines with α-oxocarboxylic acids assisted by tert-butyl nitrite.

In this paper, a regioselective, efficient and convenient synthesis of 2-aminobenzophenones through acylation of anilines with α-oxocarboxylic acids assisted by tert-butyl nitrite is presented. Interestingly, tert-butyl nitrite acts as not only an efficient and mild nitrosation reagent, but also a sustainable oxidant required in the Pd(ii)-catalyzed decarboxylative acylation. Meanwhile, the NO unit turned out to be an easily introduced and readily removable directing group for the regioselective acylation.