Copper-catalyzed direct oxidative synthesis of α-ketoamides from aryl methyl ketones, amines, and molecular oxygen

A novel and efficient copper-catalyzed direct oxidative synthesis of alpha-ketoamides from aryl methyl ketones, amines, and molecular oxygen has been developed under mild and neat conditions. O-18 labeling experiments revealed that both oxygen atoms of the alpha-ketoamides derived from molecular oxygen.