A General and Efficient Method for the Alkoxycarbonylation of [alpha]-Chloro Ketones

The alkoxycarbonylation of [alpha]-chloro ketones with carbon monoxide in alcoholic solvents could be optimized to generate [beta]-keto esters in high yields using much lower catalyst loadings than previously reported in the literature. Among the different screened parameters, the nature of the ligand proved to be the most crucial one, the Xantphos ligand affording the highest yields. The scope of the reaction could then be extended to a wide variety of chloro ketones with different types of alcohols.