Approach for the synthesis of N-phenylamides from β-ketobutylanilides using dimethylformamide and dimethylacetamide as the acyl donors

A new method including the sequence of a CN bond formation of β-keto amides with N,N-dimethylamides and subsequently another two CN bonds cleavage has been developed in the presence of hydrochloric acid. The method allows us to synthesize a wide range of R-benzyl formamides and acetamides and provides a potential strategy to construct various different acyl and aryl R-phenyl amide compounds.