Ir(iii)/Ag(i)-catalyzed directly C-H amidation of arenes with OH-free hydroxyamides as amidating agents.

A versatile Ir(iii)-catalyzed C-H amidation of arenes by employing readily available and stable OH-free hydroxyamides as a novel amidation source. The reaction occurred with high efficiency and tolerance of a range of functional groups. A wide scope of aryl OH-free hydroxyzamides, including conjugated and challenging non-conjugated OH-free hydroxyzamides, were capable of this transformation and no addition of an external oxidant is required. This protocol provided a simple, straightforward and economic method to a variety -(2-(1-pyrazol-1-yl)alkyl)amide derivates with good to excellent yield. Mechanistic study demonstrated that reversible C-H bond functionalisation might be involved in this reaction.