Base-Promoted Amidation and Esterification of Imidazolium Salts via Acyl C-C bond Cleavage: Access to Aromatic Amides and Esters.

Imidazolium salts have been effectively employed as suitable acyl transfer agents in amidation and esterification in organic synthesis. The weak acyl C(O)-C imidazolium bond was exploited to generate acyl electrophiles, which further react with amines and alcohols to afford amides and esters. The broad substrate scope of anilines and benzylic amines and base-promoted conditions are the benefits of this route. Interestingly, phenol, benzylic alcohols, and a biologically active alcohol can also be subjected to esterification under the optimized conditions.