Palladium-catalyzed oxidative carbonylation of alkyl and aryl indium reagents with CO under mild conditions

CO now can react with organoindium reagents. A novel palladium-catalyzed oxidative carbonylation reaction of organoindium reagents by CO gas with desyl chloride as oxidant was developed in supplementation with the classical methods for preparation of carboxylic acid derivatives. Primary, secondary alkyl indium reagents with beta-hydrogens and aryl indium reagents were suitable substrates, and the reaction could be carried out at 60 degrees C under 50 psi CO. Carbonylation of alkyl indium reagents can occur smoothly without additional base. Although the indium reagents were prepared from corresponding Grignard reagents (at low temperature), they displayed full compatibility with various functional groups under the protic reaction conditions. Preliminary mechanistic studies including stoichiometric and catalytic reaction examination provided evidence to support the operation of the mechanism consisted of oxidative addition of deslyl chloride to Pd(0) and quick tautomerization to give a palladium enolate species II (ROPdCl), displacement of the enolate group in III by R(2)OH, followed by CO insertion to give alkoxycarbonyl palladium complex V, which undergoes transmetalation with R(3)(1)In and reductive elimination to afford the product and a Pd(0) species. In this mechanism, the alkoxycarbonyl group was transferred to the palladium center prior to the alkyl group, different from traditional ways initiated from oxidative addition of alkyl halides to a Pd(0) species.