Synthesis of coumarins via palladium-catalyzed carbonylative annulation of internal alkynes by o-iodophenols.

A variety of substituted coumarins have been prepared in good yields by the palladium-catalyzed coupling of o-iodophenols with internal alkynes and 1 atm of carbon monoxide. Unlike most of the previous work on the palladium-catalyzed carbonylation of alkynes, the insertion of the internal alkyne occurs in preference to the insertion of CO.