Cobalt-Catalyzed Direct Aminocarbonylation of Ethers: Efficient Access to α-Amide Substituted Ether Derivatives.

Ethers are of central importance in the fields of biomass, energy, and organic chemistry. Herein, a novel cobalt-catalyzed carbonylative coupling of ethers with amines to construct α-carbonylated ethers has been achieved. Remarkably, Alfuzosin, a medicine for treatment of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH), can be synthesized by this process straightforwardly. Notably, this protocol presents the first example on the direct carbonylative reaction of ethers.