Synthesis of tetrahydrophthalazine and phthalamide (phthalimide) derivatives via palladium-catalysed carbonylation of iodoarenes

1,2,3,4-Tetrahydrophthalazin-1-one and 1,2,3,4-tetrahydrophthalazin-1,4-dione derivatives were synthesised in high (up to 85%) and low yields using 2-iodobenzyl bromide and 1,2-diiodobenzene as bifunctional substrates, respectively. Iodoarenes, carbon monoxide and various hydrazine derivatives as N-nucleophiles were used in a three-component palladium-catalysed cascade hydrazinocarbonylation. A similar palladium-catalysed reaction, the aminocarbonylation of 1,2-diiodobenzene, resulted mainly in the formation of two types of major products depending on the amine N-nucleophiles: the use of primary amines yielded N-substituted phthalimides in double carbonylation, while secondary amines react with one of the iodoarene functionalities affording the corresponding 2-iodobenzamides. Due to double carbon monoxide insertion at one or both iodoarene functionalities, ketocarboxamide-carboxamide or bis-ketocarboxamide derivatives could be isolated by the modification of the reaction conditions. Some mechanistic details of the ring-closure reactions and the conditions leading to side-products are also discussed.