Conversion of N-Acyl Amino Acids into Imides via Oxidative Decarboxylation Induced by Ag+/Cu2+/S2O82- in Water

N-Acyl amino acids can be converted by oxidative decarboxylation induced by Ag + /Cu 2+ /S 2 O 8 2- at room temperature in water into imides in 24-89% yields. Both N-benzoylvaline and N-benzoylleucine gave N-formylbenzamide, which possibly results from oxidative cleavage of an enamide intermediate.