An expeditious synthesis of cyclic imides

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4039(99)00590-0

Trifluoroacetamide was reacted with diacids in the presence of N-ethyl- N-dimethylaminopropylcarbodiimide and of 1-hydroxybenzotriazole to afford cyclic imides of different ring size, providing a single step asymmetric synthesis of thalidomide.