Transition-Metal-Free Transformation of Aryl Bromides into Aromatic Esters and Amides via Aryl Trichloromethyl Ketones

A variety of aryl bromides have been treated with Mg and then chloral, followed by tBuOCl and subsequently alcohols or amines to produce the corresponding aromatic esters or amides in good yields via the formation of aryl trichloromethyl ketones as intermediates. These reactions are examples of a transition-metal-free one-pot preparation of aromatic esters and amides from aryl bromides.