A highly regioselective ortho-acetoxylation of N-(2-benzoylphenyl) benzamides has been achieved using a catalytic amount of Pd (OAc) 2 (10mol%) and a stoichiometric amount of PhI (OAc) 2 in a mixture of acetic anhydride and acetic acid via C–H activation to produce the corresponding 2-acetoxybenzamides in good yields. ortho-Methoxylation has been accomplished using methanol under similar conditions.