Carboxylic acids were heated at 150° C in DMF in the presence of 1.25 equiv of thionyl chloride to give corresponding N, N-dimethylamides in good yields. Tandem chlorination and amidation reactions occurred in the one-pot procedure. Dicarboxylic acids needed prolonged reaction time to produce bisamides in good yields. Some benzamides were efficiently converted into corresponding 1, 2-diaryl-1, 2-diketones (benzils) under acyloin ...