Oxidative Conversion of α,α-Disubstituted Acetamides to Corresponding One-Carbon-Shorter Ketones Using Hypervalent Iodine (λ5) Reagents in Combination with Tetraethylammonium Bromide

alpha,alpha-Disubstituted acetamides undergo oxidative dehomologation to give one-carbon-shorter ketones when reacted with a hypervalent iodine (lambda(5)) reagent in combination with tetraethylammonium bromide (TEAB) in various solvents. In further studies. one such combination of a hypervalent iodine (lambda(5)) reagent. o-iodoxybenzoic acid, and TEAB has been established as a new, mild, efficient, and general method for the transformation.