Manjunath Lamani and Kandikere Ramaiah Prabhu*[a] α-Ketoamides are important intermediates in organic synthesis that are present in a variety of natural products and pharmaceutically active compounds.[1] Traditionally, α-keto-ACHTUNGTRENNUNGamides are synthesized by the amidation of α-ketoacids [2] or cyanoketones,[3] oxidation of amides by metal oxidants, such as SeO2, RuO2, or CAN, and by photochemical reactions of ...