Ruthenium-Catalyzed Oxidant-Free Allylation of Aromatic Ketoximes with Allylic Acetates at Room Temperature

Substituted aromatic ketoximes reacted efficiently with allylic acetates in the presence of {[RuCl2(p-cymene)]2} and AgSbF6 in 1,2-dichloroethane at ambient temperature, providing ortho-allyl aromatic ketoximes in a highly regioselective manner without an oxidant. In the reaction, the acetate group of allyl acetate acts as a base to activate the C-H bond of aromatics. Later, ortho-allyl aromatic ketoximes were converted into ortho-allyl aromatic ketones in the presence of HCl.