I2/DMSO Promoted Metal Free Oxidative Reaction: Facile Synthesis of -Amido Hydroxyketones

alpha-Amido ketones play a crucial role in the pharmaceutical industry due to their significance. The synthesis of these compounds under metal-free conditions has been successfully achieved. An efficient hydrogen bond-assisted method for synthesizing alpha-amido hydroxyketones was developed using I-2/dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) to promote oxidative reactions between various acetophenones and amides. This reaction occurs under mild metal-free conditions, resulting in the production of the corresponding alpha-amido hydroxyketones in significant quantities and with good to high yields. DFT studies have revealed that the H-bonding interaction between the carbonyl oxygen and hydroxy group leads to the formation of stable alpha-amido hydroxyketones, in contrast to alpha-amido dione.