Cobalt-catalyzed reductive carboxylation of α,β-unsaturated compounds with carbon dioxide

The gaseous carbon dioxide incorporation reaction with α,β-unsaturated compounds was examined in the presence of a catalytic amount of bis(acetylacetonato)cobalt(II) and using diethylzinc as a reductant. After screening with various electron-withdrawing groups, both α,β-unsaturated nitriles and carboxamides were found to efficiently capture carbon dioxide to provide the corresponding carboxylates or malonates in good to excellent yields under mild conditions.