LiCl-Promoted Pd(ii)-catalyzed ortho carbonylation of N,N-dimethylbenzylamines

Palladium-catalyzed highly regioselective carbonylation of substituted N,N-dimethylbenzylamines with the assistance of LiCl was developed. The ortho-functionalized N,N-dimethylbenzylamine was further transformed into ortho-methyl benzoate under mild conditions. These two transformations could be combined into one pot to produce the desired product in moderate yield. Applications of this methodology to synthesize the fragments of variolaric acid were also studied.