Palladium-catalyzed double carbonylation reactions of o-dihaloarenes with amines in phosphonium salt ionic liquids.

Palladium-catalyzed double carbonylation of o-dihaloarenes with amines in phosphonium salt ionic liquids proceeds efficiently to give the corresponding N-substituted phthalimides. This process can tolerate a wide array of functional groups and affords products in excellent yields. The recyclability of the catalytic system was also investigated.