Solvent-free one-pot oxidation of ethylarenes for the preparation of α-ketoamides under mild conditions

Here we developed a highly efficient solvent-free, one-pot procedure for synthesizing α-ketoamides from ethylarenes and amines, by oxidizing a C–H bond sp3 center. A copper catalyst was employed, and the reactions proceeded smoothly at ambient temperatures. Most of the tested ethylarenes and amines were successfully converted to their corresponding α-ketoamides in moderate to excellent yields of up to 93% with three equivalents of the oxidant tert-butyl hydroperoxide.