A General Method for Two-Step Transamidation of Secondary Amides Using Commercially Available, Air- and Moisture-Stable Palladium/NHC (N-Heterocyclic Carbene) Complexes

The first general method is reported for transamidation of secondary,carboxamides catalyzed by Pd-NHC (NHC = N-heterocyclic carbene) complexes. Commercially available, air- and moisture-stable (NHC)Pd(R-ally1)Cl complexes can effect C-N cross-coupling of a wide range of N-Boc and N-Ts amides, obtained selective amide N-functionaliiation, with non-hudeophilic anilines and stetically hindered amines in very good yields. The first use of versatile Pd-NHC complexes as catalysts is represented for transition metal -catalyzed C(acyl) N amination of amides by N C activation.