Palladium-catalyzed insertion of α-diazocarbonyl compounds for the synthesis of cyclic amino esters

Two different cyclic amino esters are synthesized by palladium-catalyzed cross-coupling reaction of diazoesters with N-substituted-2-iodoanilines. Aryldiazoacetates lead to cyclic α-amino esters with an α-quaternary carbon centre in the presence of CO. Additionally, arylvinyldiazoacetates afford cyclic α,β-unsaturated γ-amino esters.