Rhenium-catalyzed C-H aminocarbonylation of azobenzenes with isocyanates.

The first C-H aminocarbonylation of azobenzenes with isocyanates is achieved by using rhenium-catalysis, which provides an expedient and atom-economical access to varied o-azobenzamides from readily available starting materials. The reaction efficiency can be enhanced by the catalytic use of sodium acetate via accelerated C-H bond activation.