Efficient access to (1H)-isoindolin-1-one-3-carboxylic acid derivatives by orthopalladation and carbonylation of methyl arylglycinate substrates

The orthopalladation of methyl arylglycinate derivatives has been studied. The reaction proceeds efficiently for different electron-withdrawing and electron-releasing substituents at the aryl ring. The carbonylation of the orthopalladated complexes affords, in a single step, substituted (1H)-isoindolin-1-one-3-carboxylates. These compounds constitute valuable synthetic intermediates and can be transformed diastereoselectively into octahydroisoindole-1-carboxylic acid derivatives, an important scaffold in the synthesis of many biologically active compounds.