Rhodium(I)-catalyzed carboxylation of aryl- and alkenylboronic esters with CO2.

When the esters of arylboronic acids with 2,2-dimethylpropan-1,3-diol were treated with a catalytic amount of [Rh(OH)(cod)]2 in the presence of 1,3-bis(diphenylphosphino)propane and CsF in dioxane at 60 degrees C under carbon dioxide atmosphere, the benzoic acid derivatives were obtained in good yields. Reactions of alkenylboronic esters also proceeded under similar conditions to give alpha,beta-unsaturated carboxylic acids. As these boronic esters are now easily available through coupling or direct borylation reactions, this method would be a useful method for the preparation of various functionalized aryl- and alkenyl-carboxylic acids.