Palladium-Catalyzed Alkoxycarbonylation of Arylsulfoniums.

Alkoxycarbonylation of arylsulfoniums has been developed with the aid of a catalytic amount of a palladium-Xantphos complex under an atmospheric pressure of CO gas. Various functional groups such as carbonyl, cyano, halo, and sulfonyl groups were well tolerated under the present catalysis. Since aryldimethylsulfoniums were readily prepared from the corresponding aryl methyl sulfides and methyl triflate, one-pot alkoxycarbonylation of aryl methyl sulfides could be accomplished.