n‐Bu4NI/K2S2O8‐Mediated C−N Coupling Between Aldehydes and Amides

Abstract n ‐Bu 4 NI/K 2 S 2 O 8 mediated C−N coupling between aldehydes and amides is reported. A strong electronic effect is observed on the aromatic aldehyde substrates. The transformylation from aldehyde to amide takes place exclusively when an aromatic aldehyde bears electron‐donating groups at either the ortho or para position of the formyl group, while the cross‐dehydrogenative coupling dominates in the absence of these groups. Both the density functional theory (DFT) thermochemistry calculations and experimental data support the proposed single electron transfer mechanism with the formation of an acyl radical intermediate in the cross‐dehydrogenative coupling. The n ‐Bu 4 NI/K 2 S 2 O 8 mediated oxidative cyclization between 2‐aminobenzamide and aldehydes is also reported, with four quinazolin‐4(3 H )‐ones prepared in 65–99 % yields.