Synthesis of Carboxylic Acids and Derivatives Using CO2 as Carboxylative Reagent

The catalytic transformation of carbon dioxide into high value-added fine chemicals has attracted attention because this will make CO2 into an abundant, inexpensive, and renewable C-1 feedstock. More than 20 reactions involving CO2 as a starting material have been developed in recent decades but their successful industrialization is limited. One type of reactions that is technologically viable is to use CO2 as a carboxylative reagent in the production of a wide range of carboxylic acids and derivatives. This review focused on transition metal-catalyzed reactions for the synthesis of various carboxylic acid and derivatives from CO2, by the carboxylation of carbon nucleophiles and C H bonds and reactions of CO2 with unsaturated organic compounds (especially those with a carbon carbon multiple bond). This review also included transition metal-free or organocatalytic reactions for the transformation of CO2 into carboxylic acid and derivatives.