Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylation of Diols to Cyclic Carbonates

The catalytic alkoxycarbonylation of 1,2-diols by (neocuproine)palladium(II) acetate (neocuproine=2,9-dimethyl-1,10-phenanthroline) or palladium(II) acetate/(-)-sparteine using N-chlorosuccinimide as the oxidant affords cyclic carbonates. The oxidative carbonylation of diols proceeds under mild conditions, requiring only 1 atm of carbon monoxide, and produces cyclic carbonates in moderate to good yields. Both 1,2- and 1,3-diols can be carbonylated using (neocuproine)Pd(OAc)2 and sodium dichloroisocyanuric acid, which serves as a competent oxidant and base for this system, to yield 5- and 6-membered cyclic carbonates.