Ruthenium-Catalyzed C–H Alkynylation of Aromatic Amides with Hypervalent Iodine–Alkyne Reagents

An efficient C–H activation method for the <i>ortho</i> alkynylation of aromatic <i>N-</i>methoxyamides with hypervalent iodine–alkyne reagent using a ruthenium catalyst is described. The reaction proceeds under mild reaction conditions with broad substrate scope. A possible catalytic cycle involving a ruthenium carboxylate assisted C–H bond cleavage is proposed from the preliminary mechanistic evidence