nBu4NI-Mediated oxidation of methyl ketones to α-ketoamides: using ammonium, primary and secondary amine-salt as an amine moiety.

Presented here is the first example of synthesizing an array of primary-, secondary-, and tertiary-α-ketoamides with a non-metal catalyst nBu4NI from methyl ketones and inexpensive readily available amine/ammonium salts; the reactions proceeded smoothly under mild conditions, TBHP was used as an oxidant and the corresponding α-ketoamides were afforded in moderate to excellent yields.