PHASE-TRANSFER CATALYSIS IN COBALT CATALYZED CARBONYLATION OF SECONDARY BENZYL HALIDES

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0022-328X(00)86850-3

Application of the phase-transfer technique to the cobalt carbonyl-catalyzed carbonylation of secondary benzyl halides gives either monocarbonyl and double carbonyl insertion or coupling of organic halides as the major reaction, depending on the experimental conditions.Alcohols or ethers mainly give salts of carboxylic acids.Use of higher pressures of CO association with a hydrocarbon organic phase, favours coupling rather than carbonylation.A possible reaction mechanism is discussed.