Palladium catalysis with sulfurated substrates under aerobic conditions: A direct oxidative carbonylation approach to thiophene-3-carboxylic esters

•First example of carbonylative synthesis of thiophene-carboxylic esters from an acyclic substrate.•Oxidative carbonylation conditions compatible with a sulfurated substrate.•Use of oxygen (from air) as external oxidant and formation of water as benign coproduct.•Products formed in 54–89% isolated yields over 20 examples.