A sustainable and environmentallybenign direct amidation reaction of unactivated esters with amines has been developed in a continuous-flow system. A commercially available amorphous zirconium oxide was found to be an efficientcatalyst for this reaction. While the typical amidation of esters with amines requires a stoichiometric amount of a promoter or metal activator, the present continuous-flow
This invention relates to the use of lactamide compounds of formula (I): CH
3
CH(OH)C(═O)NR
1
R
2
, where R
1
and R
2
are each independently hydrogen; or C
1-6
alkyl, C
2-6
alkenyl or C
3-6
cycloalkyl, each of which is optionally substituted by up to three substituents independently selected from phenyl, hydroxy, C
1-5
alkoxy, morpholinyl and NR
3
R
4
where R
3
and R
4
are each independently C
1-3
alkyl; or phenyl optionally substituted by up to three substituents independently selected from C
1-3
alkyl; or R
1
and R
2
together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached form a morpholinyl, pyrrolidinyl, piperidinyl or azepanyl ring, each of which is optionally substituted by up to three substituents independently selected from C
1-3
alkyl, in formulations to reduce the toxicity associated with other formulation components; to the use of certain lactamide compounds as solvents, especially in formulations, particularly in agrochemical formulations and in environmentally friendly formulations; to novel lactamide compounds; and to processes for preparing lactamide compounds.