Copper‐Catalyzed Regioselective Oxidative Cycloamidation of α‐[(β‐Dimethylamino)propenoyl]‐Alkylamides: Synthetic Route to Substituted Pyrrolidine‐2,4‐diones

An intramolecular oxidative amidation of varied α‐[(β‐dimethylamino)propenoyl]‐alkylamides catalyzed by copper(II) bromide in the presence of PIFA and TFA has been described. This process features mild reaction conditions, simple execution, good yields, high regioselectivity, and thereby, provides not only a facile and efficient protocol for the construction of C−N bond, but also a straightforward synthetic route to densely substituted pyrrolidine‐2,4‐diones.