Tributylphosphine-catalyzed Stetter reaction of N,N-dimethylacrylamide:: synthesis of N,N-dimethyl-3-aroylpropionamides

The reaction or arylaldehydes 1 and N,N-dimethylacrylamide in the presence of tributylphosphine afforded N,N-dimethyl,1-3- aroylpropionamides 2 in moderate yields. The reaction might invoke the formation of alpha-oxo ylide A. (C) 2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.