Benzylic bromides react with titanium or zirconium alkoxides and carbon monoxide, in the presence of catalytic quantities of the dimer of chloro (l, 5-hexadiene) rhodium, to give esters in good to excellent yields. Ethers and ketones are byproducts of several of these reactions. Esters are also formed in fine yields from aryl, vinyl, and alkyl bromides by using monometallic [Pd (PPh,),-Ti (OR), as reagent] or bimetallic [Pd (PPh,),/[1, 5-HDRhC1I2-Zr ( ...
