Ether formation phenol, epichlorohydrin

Many of the first crown ethers to be prepared were benzo or dibenzo derivatives. These were often amenable to arene substitution reactions that made the products lariat ethers in the current sense but, unlike later examples, the intention was not to enhance guest binding. The first report of a true lariat ether was from Gokel in 1980 whose group reacted epichlorohydrin with several phenols and alcohols resulting in the formation of diols. These... 

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