CO/C-H as an acylating reagent: a palladium-catalyzed aerobic oxidative carbonylative esterification of alcohols.

A palladium-catalyzed oxidative carbonylative esterification of a variety of functionalized alcohols under base- and ligand-free conditions has been demonstrated. A CO/olefin combination was utilized as the acylating reagent with O2 as a benign oxidant. Notably, the scope of the substrate alcohols has been greatly broadened.