Palladium(II)‐Catalyzed <i>ortho</i> Alkylation of Benzoic Acids with Alkyl Halides

Abstract

Outsmarting the competition: In the PdII-catalyzed reaction of benzoates with alkyl halides, an aryl CH bond is activated before the competitive alkylation of the carboxylate anion can takes place. The alkylation reaction was followed by an intramolecular lactonization to give broadly useful γ- and δ-benzolactones (see scheme).