N-Formylation of amines using a domestic microwave oven and bioactivities of some N-formamides

A reasonable and chemoselective approach for N -formylation of various amines with N , N -dimethylformamide in presence of acetic acid has been improved under irradiation of a domestic microwave oven. The method was found to be compatible with primary, secondary, aromatic and aliphatic amines with electron withdrawing and electron donating groups as well but did not support to form N -formate derivatives. N -formamides 1 , 2 , and 3 did not exhibit antibacterial activity on Gram(+), Gram(-) and fungi but compounds 1 , 2 , 18 and 19 showed weak antioxidant activity with SC: 36.8 %, 38.3 %, 45.7 %, respectively. Compound 18 exhibited antioxidant activity with SC 50 : 47.2 μg/mL.