Synthesis of Anilides by Aminolysis of Unactivated Esters using MnCl 2 in Combination with strong Bases as Catalyst

Anilides are often found in pharmaceuticals and active ingredients in crop protection. Although of great interest, the atom‐ and step economic formation of the amide bond between a less nucleophilic aniline with an acid or ester remains still a major challenge. Herein, we report an aminolysis of aromatic and alkyl esters with anilines catalyzed by a readily available catalytic system comprising of an earth‐abundant Mn‐salt in combination with an inexpensive base.