Facile preparation of aromatic esters from aromatic bromides with ethyl formate or DMF and molecular iodine via aryllithium

Various aromatic bromides were treated with n-BuLi and subsequently with ethyl formate, followed by the reaction with ethanol and molecular iodine in the presence of K2CO3 to provide the corresponding aromatic ethyl esters in good yields. Moreover, aromatic bromides could be transformed into the corresponding aromatic methyl esters in good yields by the treatment with n-BuLi and subsequently with DMF, followed by the reaction with methanol, molecular iodine, and K2CO3. Some aromatics could be also converted into the corresponding aromatic esters in good yields by the treatment with n-BuLi, and subsequently with ethyl formate or DMF, followed by the reaction with molecular iodine and K2CO3. The present reactions offer a novel route for the transition-metal-free, carbon-monoxide-free, and therefore environmentally benign one-pot conversion of aromatic bromides and aromatics into aromatic esters.