I2/DMSO Promoted Metal Free Oxidative Reaction: Facile Synthesis of α‐Amido Hydroxyketones.

α‐Amido ketones play a crucial role in the pharmaceutical industry due to their significance. The synthesis of these compounds under metal‐free conditions has been successfully achieved. An efficient hydrogen bond‐assisted method for synthesizing α‐amido hydroxyketones was developed using I2/dimethyl sulphoxide (DMSO) to promote oxidative reactions between various acetophenones and amides. This reaction occurs under mild metal‐free conditions, resulting in the production of the corresponding α‐amido hydroxyketones in significant quantities and with good to high yields. DFT studies have revealed that the H‐bonding interaction between the carbonyl oxygen and hydroxy group leads to the formation of stable α‐amido hydroxyketones, in contrast to α‐amido dione. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]