An efficient FeCl3-catalyzed amidation reaction of secondary benzylic and allylic alcohols with carboxamides or p-toluenesulfonamide

A simple, inexpensive, environmentally friendly and high yielding amidation reaction of benzylic and allylic alcohols with primary amides using a catalytic amount of FeCl3 (5 mol %) is described. Direct substitution of various amides such as benzamide, sulfonamide, acetamide and acrylamide is reported, and this method also works on a large scale in high yield. (C) 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.