Efficient Pd-Catalyzed Regio- and Stereoselective Carboxylation of Allylic Alcohols with Formic Acid

Formic acid is efficiently used as a C1 source to directly carboxylate allylic alcohols in the presence of a low loading of palladium catalyst and acetic anhydride as additive to afford β,γ-unsaturated carboxylic acids with excellent chemo-, regio-, and stereoselectivity. The reaction proceeds through a carbonylation process with in situ-generated carbon monoxide under mild conditions, avoiding the use of high-pressure gaseous CO. A bisphosphine ligand with a large bite angle (4,5-bis{diphenylphosphino}-9,9-dimethylxanthene, Xantphos) was found to be uniquely effective for this transformation. The regio- and stereoconvergence of this reaction is ascribed to the thermodynamically favored isomerization of the allylic electrophile in the presence of the palladium catalyst.