Ruthenium (VIII) Catalysed Dearomative Pyridyl C−X Activation: Direct Synthesis of N ‐ Alkyl‐2‐pyridones

An efficient synthetic strategy employing pyridyl C−X activation, for the generation of N ‐alkyl‐2‐pyridones from N ‐alkyl‐2‐halopyridinium salts is described. As pyridones are dearomatised synthetic derivatives of pyridines, a versatile scope exist for pyridyl C−H functionalisation. The present strategy exemplifies a straight forward in‐situ generation of Ru(VIII), leading catalytic dearomative synthesis of pyridones. The N ‐alkyl‐2‐pyridones are further reduced to N ‐alkyl‐2‐piperidones and a plausible mechanism is also drawn, which is supported by some controlled reactions.