Ruthenium-Catalyzed C-H Alkynylation of Aromatic Amides with Hypervalent Iodine-Alkyne Reagents

An efficient C-H activation method for the ortho alkynylation of aromatic N-methoxyamides with hypervalent iodine-alkyne reagent using a ruthenium catalyst is described. The reaction proceeds under mild reaction conditions with broad substrate scope. A possible catalytic cycle involving a ruthenium carboxylate assisted C-H bond cleavage is proposed from the preliminary mechanistic evidence.