A new synthesis of β-keto amides by reduction of Passerini adducts

The Passerini reaction between glyoxals, isocyanides and acetic acid forms β-keto acyloxyamides, which are readily transformed in β-keto amides by reductive deacetoxylation with zinc. The versatility of this procedure, which allows introducing different groups both in position-3 and the amide nitrogen, makes it ideal for its use in diversity-oriented synthesis, in combination with subsequent complexity generation reactions.