Site-Selective Carbonylative Synthesis of Structurally Diverse Lactams from Heterocyclic Amines with TFBen as the CO Source.

A palladium-catalyzed site-selective C-H carbonylation of heterocyclic amines for the synthesis of lactam motifs has been developed. The reaction of 3-thiophene methylamines, 2-thiophene methylamines, and tryptamines with benzene-1,3,5-triyl triformate (TFBen) as the CO source provides a series of structurally diverse lactams in moderate to high yields with excellent regioselectivities.