Ruthenium-Catalyzed Oxidant-Free Allylation of Aromatic Ketoximes with Allylic Acetates at Room Temperature

Substituted aromatic ketoximes reacted efficiently with allylic acetates in the presence of {[RuCl2(pcymene)](2)} and AgSbF6 in 1,2-dichloroethane at ambient temperature, providing ortho-allyl aromatic ketoximes in a highly regioselective manner without an oxidant. In the reaction, the acetate group of allyl acetate acts as a base to activate the C H bond of aromatics. Later, ortho-allyl aromatic ketoximes were converted into ortho-allyl aromatic ketones in the presence of HCl.