An operationally simple method with 100% atom economy has been developed for the synthesis of various N-(quinolin-2-yl)amides via the TsOH·H2O-mediated N-amidation of quinoline N-oxides using inexpensive and commercially available nitriles as the amidation reagents. Mechanistic exploration suggested that the reaction probably proceeds through an acid-assisted 1,3-dipolar cycloaddition and an N-O bond cleavage followed by a dehydro-aromatization process.