Highly efficient carbonylation reactions of organic halides in supercritical carbon dioxide

The carbonylation of aryl halides catalyzed by CO2 soluble Pd complexes wit h trialkyl or aryl phosphite ligands proceeds rapidly in scCO(2), in which the rate of the reaction is higher than those attained in solution phase re actions, scCO(2) can be also used as a suitable reaction medium for a free- radical carbonylation of alkyl halides. The reaction proceeds smoothly in s cCO(2) to give carbonyl compounds in excellent yields. The outcome of the r eaction is significantly influenced by the pressure tunable properties of s upercritical carbon dioxide. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights rese rved.