Palladium-catalysed carbonylative α-arylation of nitromethane

A simple and mild Pd-catalysed carbonylative α-arylation of nitromethane has been realised providing access to α-nitro aryl ketones from an array of aryl and heteroaryl iodides. The methodology requires only a mild base and uses the convenient solid CO releasing molecule, COgen in a two-chamber system. Changing to the isotopically labelled ¹³COgen, [¹³C]-acyl labelling can be effected through the generation of a near stoichiometric amount of ¹³CO. Lastly, the significance of the generated products as synthetic intermediates is demonstrated.