Rhodium-Catalyzed Directed C–H Amidation of Imidazoheterocycles with Dioxazolones

A Rh(III)-catalyzed directed ortho-amidation of 2-arylimidazoheterocycles using dioxazolone as an amidating reagent has been developed. This protocol is a simple, straightforward, and economic was to afford a variety of N-(2-(imidazo[1,2- a]pyridin-2-yl)phenyl)acetamide derivatives with excellent yields. A mechanistic study reveals that a reversible cleavage of C-H bond might be involved in the reaction.