General Method for the Synthesis of Salicylic Acids from Phenols through Palladium‐Catalyzed Silanol‐Directed CH Carboxylation

Abstract

A silanol-directed, palladium-catalyzed C-H carboxylation reaction of phenols to give salicylic acids has been developed. This method features high efficiency and selectivity, and excellent functional-group tolerance. The generality of this method was demonstrated by the carboxylation of estrone and by the synthesis of an unsymmetrically o,o'-disubstituted phenolic compound through two sequential C-H functionalization processes.