Ketoanilides have the potential to serve as valuable starting materials to make many structurally complex heterocyclic systems owing to their ability to form cyclic N-acyliminium ions and tertiary enamides.
The goal of this research was to synthesize several γ- and δ- ketoanilides from appropriate keto acids and anilines. As stated before, the purpose of their synthesis is to explore novel chemical transformations leading to interesting polyheterocyclic skeletons in separate endeavors. Through a condensation reaction with a keto acid such as levunic acid and substituted anilines enabled by a carbodiimide, ketoanilides can be formed. Following this protocol, fourteen ketoanilide analogs were synthesized. These compounds were purified, and thoroughly characterized via spectroscopic means.