Direct Ortho-Acetoxylation of Anilides via Palladium-Catalyzed sp2 C−H Bond Oxidative Activation

Various anilides have been directly ortho-acetoxylated through a Pd(OAc)2-catalyzed C-H bond activation process. The amide group in anilides was found to functionalize as an elegant directing group to convert aromatic sp(2) C-H bonds into C-O bonds in high regioselectivity with acetic acid as the acetate source and K(2)S(2)O(8) as the oxidant.