Direct Synthesis of Amides from Nitro Compounds and Alcohols via Borrowing Hydrogenation

Herein, we report a RuH2(CO)(PPh3)3 catalyzed direct amidation of alcohols
using readily
available nitro
compounds via a catalytic borrowing hydrogen method. This reaction
proceeded via cascade reactions, including oxidation of alcohol, reduction
of nitro group and formation of amides under one-pot condition. This
protocol provides a single catalytic system for many reactions, a
step economic advantage over the available techniques, tolerates various
functionalities, and was demonstrated with broad substrate scope (47
examples).