Chemoselective formation of C-N bond in wet acetonitrile using amberlyst(R)-15(H) as a recyclable catalyst

An economically efficient and environmentally benign protocol for the chemoselective one-pot synthesis of diversely N-substituted amides has been developed in good yield through the reaction of benzylic secondary alcohols as well as aliphatic tertiary alcohols and alkyl/aryl nitriles. Commercially available Amberlyst(R)-15(H) has been utilized at 80 degrees C as an air-stable and reusable heterogeneous inexpensive solid acid catalyst without any anhydrous and inert environment. The attractive features of the present synthetic protocol are mild reaction conditions, short reaction time, excellent chemoselectivity, high atom economy and tolerance of various sensitive moieties.