Palladium-catalyzed carbonylation of benzylic ammonium salts to amides and esters via C-N bond activation

An efficient palladium-catalyzed carbonylation reaction of readily available quaternary ammonium salts with CO is reported for the first time to afford arylacetamides and arylacetic acid esters via benzylic C-N bond cleavage. This protocol features mild reaction conditions under atmospheric pressure of CO, a redox-neutral process without an additional oxidant, and a broad substrate scope for various kinds of amines, alcohols and phenols.