DDQ-promoted direct transformation of benzyl hydrocarbons to amides via tandem reaction of the CDC reaction and Beckmann rearrangement.
An atom-efficient and transition metal-free approach to amides from the corresponding benzyl hydrocarbons through C-H and C-C bond cleavage has been developed. Mechanistic studies have shown that a DDQ-promoted cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) reaction with subsequent oxidation and rearrangement are involved in this transformation.