Amides X: The use of tertiary amides in the perkin reaction

Abstract

The effects of basic catalysts and temperature on the condensations of benzaldehyde with N‐methyldiacetimide, N‐phenyldiacetimide, N,N‐dimethylacetamide and N,N‐diphenylacetamide respectively have been studied. These condensations have little practical value but the isolation of N‐cinnamoyl acetanilide from the reaction between benzaldehyde and N‐phenyldiacetimide proves that dehydration precedes deacylation during the Perkin reaction involving tertiary amides.