Nickel-Catalyzed Oxidative Carbonylation of Alkylarenes to Arylacetic Acids.

A catalytic system combined with NiBr 2 and diphenylphosphine oxide that enabled direct access to the valuable arylacetic acids from inexpensive alkylarenes and H 2 O via oxidative carbonylation was developed. Alkylarenes with primary and secondary benzylic C-H bonds were compatible with this method. Remarkably, the marketed drugs ibuprofen and diclofenac could be easily obtained by this procedure straightforwardly.