Electrosynthesis of Benzolactones by Nickel-Catalyzed Carboxylation of Epoxide-Functionalized Aromatic Halides

Abstract

The electrochemical, nickel-catalyzed carbon dioxide incorporation into 2-haloaryl epoxides led chemoselectively to different carboxylated products according to the nature of the substrate and to the catalytic system. Whereas terminal epoxide derivatives led to cyclic carbonates in good yields, disubstituted epoxides reacted through a first carbon-halogen bond carboxylation followed by epoxide ring opening. Five-membered ring benzolactones were selectively formed with cyclam as the ligand, whereas 6-membered ring isocoumarine derivatives were obtained using 2,2′-bipyridine.