Alkylation of Alcohols

Alkylation of alcohols or phenols with diazo compounds... 

The use of trichloroimidates for the preparation of ethers is an effective method for O-alkylation of alcohols [27]. This method has found widespread use in the protection of alcohols as benzyl ethers since the corresponding trichlorobenzylimi-date is inexpensive and commercially available. The mechanism involves activation of the imidate with a catalytic amount of a strong acid (typically TfOH) which leads to ionization of the electrophile and the formation of carbocation which is rapidly trapped by an alcohol. For the preparation of sec-sec ethers, this protocol has been limited to glycosidation reactions, due to the SN1 nature of the reaction which often leads to diastereomeric mixtures of products [26],... 

Alternatively, the Sn2 nucleophilic substitution reaction between alcohols (phenols) and organic halides under basic conditions is the classical Williamson ether synthesis. Recently, it was found that water-soluble calix[n]arenes (n = 4, 6, 8) containing trimethylammonium groups on the upper rim (e.g., calix[4]arene 5.2) were inverse phase-transfer catalysts for alkylation of alcohols and phenols with alkyl halides in aqueous NaOH solution to give the corresponding alkylated products in good-to-high yields.56... 

The gold(I) catalyzed alkylation of alcohols and aromatic compounds was described by Asao et al. very recently. Reaction produced corresponding Friedel-Crafts (Equation 8.81) or ether alkylation derivatives (Equation 8.82) under mild conditions [194]. 

Reductive Alkylation of Alcohols C-Hydro-O-alkyl-addition... 

Reaction between alkoxides or arox-ides and alkyl halides (Williamson) 0-14 Reaction between alkoxides or arox-ides and inorganic esters 0-15 Alkylation of alcohols or phenols with diazo compounds 0-16 Dehydration of alcohols 0-17 Transetherification 0-19 Alkylation of alcohols with onium salts... 

Reductive alkylation of alcohols 9-40 Reduction of carboxylic esters 9-60 Reduction of peroxides... 

TABLE 8E.11. Palladium and Boron Co-catalyzed Alkylation of Alcohols to Vinylepoxides... 

The Mitsunobu reaction leads to the alkylation of alcohols with various nucleophiles or acids (HA) via a redox system, composed by diethylazadi-carboxylate (DEAD) and triphenylphosphine (TPP) (Figure 3.14). A limit in the application of Mitsunobu process is the pKa value of the acid counterpart, that must be usually smaller than 11 therefore, many improved redox systems have been developed in order to solve this problem. 

Additional reactions which need to be highlighted are the reductive alkylation of alcohols and amines with aldehydes leading to the green synthesis of ethers and amines. These reactions are generally catalyzed by palladium [35]. This reaction can replace the classical Williamson s synthesis of ethers which requires an alcohol and an alkyl halide together with a base, and always results in the concomitant production of salt. The choice of Pd/C as catalyst is due to the low efficiency of this metal for the competitive carbonyl reduction. Analysis of the... 

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