Rhodium-Catalyzed N-Arylation of 2-Pyridones Enabled by 1,6-Acyl Migratory Rearrangement of 2-Oxypyridines

An efficient rhodium-catalyzed dearomative rearrangement of 2-oxypyridines with quinone diazides has been developed for the direct synthesis of N-arylated pyridones, in which a novel 1,6-O-to-O rather than 1,4-O-to-C acyl rearrangement has been achieved under mild reaction conditions.