Palladium-catalyzed aerobic oxidative carbonylation of alkynes with amines: a general access to substituted maleimides.

Abstract

A catalytic oxidative carbonylation reaction was developed for the synthesis of polysubstituted maleimides from alkynes and amines with air as a green oxidant. This novel transformation proceeds in the presence of palladium chloride without the need for expensive ligands or additives and has a broad substrate scope affording a variety of maleimides in good to high yields.