Latent Brønsted Base Solvent-Assisted Amide Formation from Amines and Acid Chlorides

Weakly basic amines, including even neutral amines such as nitroaniline and aminocarboxylic acids, react with acid chlorides very efficiently in N,N-dimethylacetamide (DMAC), without addition of a base, to give the corresponding amides in high yields. The role of DMAC and related solvents as latent Brønsted bases was studied in these amidation reactions. Less basic amines, such as aromatic amines, reacted with benzoyl chloride faster than more basic aliphatic amines.