A transition
metal-free radical process for the selective α,β-dehydrogenation
of saturated amides under mild conditions is developed. Utilizing
radical activation strategy, the challenging issue associated with
the low α-acidity of amides is resolved. For the first time,
α,β-unsaturated Weinreb amides and acrylamides could be
efficiently prepared directly from corresponding saturated amides.
Mechanistic studies confirm the radical nature of this transformation.
Two gram scale α,β-dehydrogenation have also been performed
to demonstrate the utility of this method.