Amidation of alcohols with nitriles under solvent-free conditions using molecular iodine as a catalyst.

The reactions of alcohols with nitriles under solvent-free conditions, using molecular iodine as a catalyst, were investigated. The reaction of 1-phenylethanol with propanenitrile produced the amide N-(1-phenylethyl)propanamide, by dehydration and tautomerization, in 71% yield, under the following conditions: temperature=90°C, alcohol:iodine molar ratio=1:0.2, alcohol:nitrile molar ratio=1:5, and reaction time=5 h. The amidation reactivity depended on the stability of the cationic intermediate formed from the alcohol. The reaction of (-)-borneol with benzonitrile produced a racemic amide in 83% yield.