Preparation of phthalates via carbonylation of o-dibromobenzenes in solutions of Pd catalysts and reactivity of Ar−Br bonds

Abstract

Carbonylation of o-dibromobenzene and its derivatives in the presence of palladium phosphine complexes with NaOAc or Et₃N additive leads to the formation of phthalates in high yield under mild conditions. Correlation NMR spectroscopy data and semiempirical calculations have shown that the reactivity of the C–Br bond is enhanced with the increase in the positive charge at the carbon atom, in line with the results of kinetic experiments.