Phosphite-imidazole catalyzed N-formylation and N-acylation of amines.

A novel and convenient method for the N-formylation reaction of amines with DMF as a formylating agent has been developed, utilizing a catalytic amount of diethyl phosphite/imidazole. Diethyl phosphite, as a nucleophilic catalyst, plays a significant role in this conversion. The presented method has a broad substrate scope, and various N-formyl products were obtained in good to excellent yields. Moreover, by using DMA instead of DMF, the N-acetylation reaction was also successful. The reaction of o-phenylenediamines with DMF afforded the corresponding benzimidazoles. Furthermore, N-sulfonyl amidines were obtained in good to excellent yields by the reaction of sulfonamides with DMF under similar conditions.