Novel palladium(II) complex containing a chelating anionic N-O ligand: efficient carbonylation catalyst

[reaction: see text] A novel palladium(II) complex containing chelating anionic pyridine-2-carboxylato and labile tosylato ligands is a highly efficient catalyst for the carbonylation of organic alcohols and olefins to carboxylic acids/esters. Carbonylation of primary, secondary, and tertiary alcohols as well as linear and functionalized terminal olefins was studied. In all cases remarkable activity and selectivity were observed. The catalyst is stable under reaction conditions even in the absence of excess phosphine ligands.