Mechanistic investigation of the one-pot formation of amides by oxidative coupling of alcohols with amines in methanol

► Gold- and base catalysed formation of amides by oxidative coupling of alcohols and amines in methanol. ► Hammett study provides mechanistic insight by determination of the relative reactivity. ► DFT calculations on possible mechanisms of the aminolysis of the intermediate methyl ester product allow correlation between theoretical and experimentally Hammett plots.