Access to carbamates and o-aminobenzoates via oxidative carbonylation of amines with CO and alcohols under rhodium/copper catalysis

Abstract

An efficient Rh/Cu-based catalytic system for the oxidative carbonylation of amines, alcohols and CO has been developed. A broad range of carbamates have been prepared from primary amines and primary, secondary, or tertiary alcohols under mild conditions. Moderate to good yields of o-aminobenzoates were obtained using the same catalyst when aromatic secondary amines were introduced as the amine coupling partners. Based on the control experiments, a possible reaction mechanism for the synthesis of carbamates was proposed.