A Mild and Efficient Direct α-Amination of β-Dicarbonyl Compounds Using Iodosobenzene and <i>p</i>-Toluenesulfonamide Catalyzed by Perchlorate Zinc Hexahydrate

A direct α-amination of β-dicarbonyl compounds has been achieved by using iodosobenzene (PhIO) as an oxidant and <i>p</i>-toluenesulfonamide (TsNH₂) as an aminating reagent in the presence of a catalytic amount of perchlorate zinc hexahydrate. The present amination reaction proceeds quickly at rt (<30 min needed for most tested substrates) to provide the corresponding α-<i>N</i>-tosylamido β-dicarbonyl compounds in high to excellent yields