Multicomponent Reaction: Palladium-Catalyzed Carbonylation of Aryl Halides and Alkyl Halides to Aromatic Esters.

A convenient four-component reaction has been developed that allows for the direct transformation of aryl iodides with alkyl halides into the corresponding aromatic esters and diesters via palladium-catalyzed carbonylation with water as solvent. Various esters and diesters were isolated in moderate to good yields with broad functional group tolerance.