Effect of Cation Capture by Crown Ether and Polar Solvent in the Carboxylation with CO2 of Alkali Metal 2-Naphtholates under Ordinary Conditions†

Abstract

An efficient method for the carboxylation of sodium 2-naphtholate and potassium 2-naphtholate in benzene with 10 mol% of crown ether or aprotic polar solvents under 1 atm of carbon dioxide at 60 °C affords 2-hydroxynaphthalene-1-carboxylic acid in yields ranging from 14.6 to 43.8% and 26.7 to 66.0%, respectively.