Direct Carboxylation of Arenes and Halobenzenes with CO2 by the Combined Use of AlBr3 and R3SiCl

The Lewis acid-mediated direct carboxylation of aromatic compounds with CO2 is efficiently promoted by the addition of silyl chlorides bearing three alkyl and/or aryl substituents in total on the silicon atom. Thus, toluene, xylenes, mesitylene, and some other alkylbenzenes are treated with a 1:1 mixture of AlBr3 and Ph3SiCl in neat substrates under CO2 pressure (3.0 MPa) at room temperature, to give the corresponding carboxylic acids in 60−97% yields, based on AlBr3. Polycyclic arenes, including naphthalene, phenanthrene, and biphenyl, are regioselectively carboxylated in 91−98% yields with the aid of 1 molar equiv of AlBr3 and Ph3SiCl in an appropriate solvent, chosen from benzene, chlorobenzene, and fluorobenzene. These solvents, as well as bromobenzene, resist carboxylation; however, they are also carboxylated in moderate yields when treated with a 1:5 mixture of AlBr3 and iPrSiCl at elevated temperatures. The FT-IR spectrum of a mixture prepared by exposing a suspension of AlBr3 and Ph3SiCl in cycloh...