The palladium-phenanthroline catalyzed carbonylation reaction of nitrobenzene to methyl phenylcarbamate is known to be accelerated by both the addition of aniline and a carboxylic acid. Here, we report that combining the acidic and amino function in the same molecule, 2-NH2C6H4COOH, anthranilic acid, an higher activity is observed with respect to the use of simple benzoic acid. The 4-amino isomer does not show the same increased activity. (C) 2003 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.