Palladium-Catalyzed Oxidative C-H Bond Acylation of Acetanilides with Benzylic Alcohols

An efficient and clean method to construct C?C bonds has been developed via the acylation reaction of acetanilides with benzylic alcohols using tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) as oxidant catalyzed by palladium acetate in the presence of triflic acid (TfOH). The acylation reactions exhibit excellent reactivities, and up to 95% yield of the corresponding aryl ketone could be obtained under the optimal conditions.