A convenient nonelectrochemical amide oxidation method has been developed. The process involves a cuprous ion-promoted decomposition of o-diazobenzamides like 4, generated in situ from the corresponding o-aminobenzamides, to give N-acyliminium ion intermediate 9 via a 1, 5-H-atom transfer, followed by metal-catalyzed oxidation of the resulting α-amidyl radical. The transformation produces α-methoxybenzamides 15 in good ...