Unmasking Amides: Ruthenium-Catalyzed Protodecarbonylation of N-Substituted Phthalimide Derivatives.

The unprecedented transformation of a wide range of synthetically appealing phthalimides into amides in a single-step operation has been achieved in high yields and short reaction times using a ruthenium catalyst. Mechanistic studies revealed a unique, homogeneous pathway involving five-membered ring opening and CO2 release with water being the source of protons.