Simple RuCl3-Catalyzed Amide Synthesis from Alcohols and Amines

A catalyst for the direct synthesis of amides from amines and alcohols, generated in situ from the economically attractive and readily available RuCl3, an N-heterocyclic carbene (NHC), and pyridine, was developed Of the screened NHC precursors, a less bulky one gave better yields for modestly sterically hindered substrates In a search for the true catalytic intermediates, Grubbs catalysts were found to be active for the amidation of alcohols under basic conditions, suggesting that an Ru complex supported by an NHC ligand can catalyze the reaction