Bu4NI-catalyzed decarboxylative acyloxylation of an sp3 C-H bond adjacent to a heteroatom with α-oxocarboxylic acids

A novel metal-free decarboxylative acyloxylation of an sp(3) C-H bond in formamides and ethers has been explored. A variety of N-acyloxymethylamides and a-acyloxy ethers could be easily synthesized by this method. Preliminary mechanistic studies have shown that the reaction proceeded via a radical process.