An efficient method for the synthesis of substituted N-aryl lactams

A quick, efficient, and one-pot method for the synthesis of substituted N-aryl lactams through the reaction of various kinds of corresponding substituted arenes with a variety of ω-azido alkanoic acids using trifluoromethanesulfonic acid (triflic acid) at room temperature, by in-situ involvement of Friedel-Crafts reaction followed by intramolecular Schmidt rearrangement was developed, and afforded good to excellent yields.