Cobalt carbonyl catalyzed carbonylation of benzal bromides by phase transfer catalysis

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/0022-328X(90)80219-P

The reaction of benzal bromides with CO (1 atm) in a binary system (aq.KOH/C6H6) in the presence of a catalytic amount of Co2(CO)8 together with benzyltriethylammonium chloride as a phase transfer catalyst for 8 h at room temperature gives the corresponding carboxylic acids in good to excellent yields.