Metal-Free Reductive Cleavage of N-O Bonds in Weinreb Amides by an Organic Neutral Super-Electron Donor

Abstract

The scope of neutral organic super-electron donors as reducing agents has been extended to include the reductive cleavage of N-O bonds in Weinreb amides. This methodology proved to be applicable to a large array of substrates to afford their reduced counterparts in good to excellent yields. The variation in reactivity within the set of tested amides is rationalised.