First hypervalent iodine(III)-catalyzed C-N bond forming reaction: catalytic spirocyclization of amides to N-fused spirolactams.

A protic solvent, 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol (CF(3)CH(2)OH), was successfully introduced into hypervalent iodine(III)-involved catalytic cycles as an effective solvent, and the first iodoarene-catalyzed intramolecular carbon-nitrogen bond forming reaction was achieved under strong acid-free and mild conditions.