Aerobic Oxidative Amidation of Aromatic and Cinnamic Aldehydes with Secondary Amines by CuI/2-Pyridonate Catalytic System

A simple and convenient CuI/2-pyridonate catalytic system
for the
oxidative amidation of aldehydes with secondary amines has been developed.
With this system, a variety of useful arylamides have been synthesized
in moderate to good yields in the presence of small amount of copper
catalyst and the pyridonate ligand, generating only water as a coproduct.
Synthesis of cinnamamides was also achieved by the reactions of cinnamaldehydes
with secondary amines in moderate yields. Air was successfully employed
as a green oxidant in this catalytic system, achieving a safe and
atom-efficient system for the synthesis of amides.