Construction of 1,4-Benzodiazepine Skeleton from 2-(Arylamino)benzamides through Phl(OAc)2-Mediated Oxidative C-N Bond Formation

New compounds involving the biologically important 1,4-benzodiazepine skeleton were conveniently constructed from 2-(arylamino)benzamides through Phl(OAc)(2)-mediated oxidative C-N bond formation. The attractive features of this new synthetic strategy include mild reaction conditions, the heavy-metal-free characteristic of the oxidative coupling process, and the flexibility to tolerate a broad scope of substrates.