Metal‐Free Synthesis of 3‐Arylquinolin‐2‐ones from N ,2‐Diaryl‐ acrylamides via Phenyliodine(III) Bis(2,2‐dimethylpropanoate)‐ Mediated Direct Oxidative C−C Bond Formation

Treatment of N ,2‐diarylacrylamides with the organoiodine(III) compound phenyliodine(III) bis(2,2‐dimethylpropanoate) [PhI(O 2 C‐ t‐ Bu) 2 ] and boron trifluoride etherate (BF 3 ⋅Et 2 O) resulted in a direct and selective oxidative C( sp 2 )−C( sp 2 ) bond formation leading to a convenient assemblage, under mild conditions, of the biologically important 3‐arylquinolin‐2‐one skeleton. Differing from the five‐membered oxindole products from oxidative cyclizations mediated by transition metals, this metal‐free approach realized a direct annulation of the N ‐arylacrylamide into a six‐membered 3‐arylquinolin‐2‐one skeleton.