Practical and General Manganese-Catalyzed Carbonylative Coupling of Alkyl Iodides with Amides

A selective manganese-catalyzed carbonylative transformation of alkyl iodides and amides was developed. A variety of imides were prepared in moderate to good yields. Alkyl bromides could also be applied by in situ treatment with NaI to give the corresponding alkyl iodides. Notably, no additives or expensive ligands were required here. As the first example of the carbonylative coupling of alkyl iodides with amides, the simple reaction conditions and the advantages of a manganese catalyst make this new general procedure more attractive and practical than conventional techniques. Mechanistically, control experiments and electron paramagnetic resonance spectroscopy studies were also performed, and the radical nature of this new process was proven.