An efficiently cobalt-catalyzed carbonylative approach to phenylacetic acid derivatives

A highly efficient cobalt-catalyzed carbonylative approach to phenylacetic acid derivatives under one atmosphere pressure is reported. This methodology represents a useful extension of benzimidazole used as ligand in metal catalysis, and the catalytic mechanism has been proved by computer simulation. Notably, this new cobalt precatalyst, which promotes the carbonylation reaction dramatically and has already been used for scale-up experiment of phenylacetic acid derivatives.