Carboxylation of Active Methylene Compounds Using Anilide, Potassium Carbonate, and Carbon Dioxide

Abstract

Abstract Active methylene compounds were effectively carboxylated with carbon dioxide in the presence of anilide (acetanilide or formanilide) and potassium carbonate at 20—40 °C for 0.5—10 h. In the carboxylation of fluorene, a high yield (48%) was obtained at 20 °C for 4 h. The yield of carboxylic acid using 2,6-dimethylacetanilide was 8.9%, and smaller than 26.6% when using acetanilide at 20 °C for 2 h, indicating the interference of a methyl group for the carboxylation.