Anisole and its homologues were carboxylated under the influence of CO and O2 catalyzed by Pd(OAc)2 combined with molybdovanadophosphates (HPMoV) under mild conditions to give the corresponding carboxylic acids in fair to good yields; for instance, anisole underwent the carboxylation under a mixed gas of CO (0.5 atm) and O2 (0.5 atm) in the presence of Pd(OAc)2 (5 mol%) and H5PMo10V2O40·nH2O (2 mol%) to form an isomeric mixture of anisic acids in good yield.
