Synthesis of alkyl 2,5-dihydro-5-oxofuran-2-carboxylates via palladium-catalyzed carbonylative cyclization of β-bromovinyl aldehydes in alcohols

beta-Bromovinyl aldehydes reacts with carbon monoxide and alcohols at 125 degrees C in the presence of a catalytic amount of a palladium catalyst along with a base to give the corresponding carbonylative cyclized alkyl 2,5-dihydro-5-oxofuran-2-carboxylates in good yields. A reaction pathway involving intramolecular addition of acylpalladium to formyl group is proposed as a key step of this catalytic process. (C) 2008 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.