Palladium‐Catalyzed Carbonylation of Diols to Cyclic Carbonates

Abstract

Abstract The catalytic alkoxycarbonylation of 1,2‐diols by (neocuproine)palladium(II) acetate (neocuproine=2,9‐dimethyl‐1,10‐phenanthroline) or palladium(II) acetate/(−)‐sparteine using N ‐chlorosuccinimide as the oxidant affords cyclic carbonates. The oxidative carbonylation of diols proceeds under mild conditions, requiring only 1 atm of carbon monoxide, and produces cyclic carbonates in moderate to good yields. Both 1,2‐ and 1,3‐diols can be carbonylated using (neocuproine)Pd(OAc) 2 and sodium dichloroisocyanuric acid, which serves as a competent oxidant and base for this system, to yield 5‐ and 6‐membered cyclic carbonates.