AN EFFICIENT SYNTHESIS OF α-KETO AMIDES VIA REACTION OF α-(N-METHYLANILINO)-ACETONITRILE WITH ESTERS FOLLOWED BY HYDROLYSIS USING COPPER (II) ACETATE

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/cl.1983.859

An efficient sequence proposed for the conversion of esters to α-keto amides involves the reaction of α-(N-methylanilino)-acetonitrile with esters to afford β0hydroxy-α-cyanoenamines of which hydrolysis using copper (II) acetate gives the corresponding α-keto amides in good yields.