Access to quaternary-carbon-containing β-alkyl amides <i>via</i> persulfate-promoted domino alkylation/smiles rearrangement of alkenes

In this study, we present an efficient approach for synthesizing all-carbon quaternary-centered β-alkyl amides. This method entails a persulfate-promoted cascade alkylative annulation/arylation of <i>N</i>-(arylsulfonyl)acrylamide with 4-alkyl-1,4-dihydropyridines (DHP). The reaction mechanism comprises four consecutive steps: (1) <i>in situ</i> generation of alkyl radical intermediates, (2) radical addition to the alkene moiety, (3) 1,4-aryl migration, and (4) finally desulfonylation.