General base-tuned unorthodox synthesis of amides and ketoesters with water.

We discovered a highly reactive λ(3)-hypervalent iodane species using an inorganic/organic base for the unorthodox synthesis of amides and ketoesters through grafting terminal alkynes. In contrast to the metal-catalyzed dehydrative approaches the in situ generated nonmetallic reagent efficiently created C-N/C-O and C[double bond, length as m-dash]O bonds with amines/alkynes and water at rt.