A Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylative Acetylation of N-Phenylpyridin-2-amine Using DMF and CO as the Acetyl Source

This study reports a carbonylative acetylation for the synthesis of N-phenyl-N-(pyridin-2-yl)acetamides using N,N-dimethylformamide (DMF) as a methyl source and CO as a carbonyl source. Interestingly, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) can be also used as a methyl source when using only DMSO as the solvent. Mechanistic studies using DMSO-d6 revealed that the methyl group was derived from the methyl group of DMF instead of DMSO when using DMF and DMSO as a mixed solvent. These results indicated that DMF was a preferential methyl source.