The Ritter reaction under truly catalytic bronsted acid conditions

Simple organic acids like 2,4-dinitrobenzenesulfonic acid (DNBSA) catalyze the Ritter reaction of secondary benzylic alcohols giving rise to the corresponding N-benzylacetamides in usually high yields. Reactions can be conducted without exclusion of oxygen and without the need of dry solvents. With tertiary alpha,alpha-dimethylbenzylic alcohols a different pathway involving a formal dimerization reaction takes place under the acid-catalytic conditions used. (C) Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, 69451 Weinheim, Germany, 2007)