N-Alkyl amide synthesis via N-alkylation of amides with alcohols.

N-Alkyl amides have wide applications in the biological, pharmaceutical and organic chemical industry. Accordingly, their synthesis has attracted great attention. Among different methods, the N-alkylation of amides with alcohols constitutes an attractive process for their synthesis because alcohol is readily available, and water is generated as the sole byproduct. Although considerable progress has been made in the area of the direct coupling of amides with alcohols in the past few decades, the review on this aspect is almost vacant. This review summarizes the recent development of N-alkylation of amides with alcohols according to the classification of catalysts.