Synthesis 2021; 53(17): 3094-3100
special topic
Bond Activation – in Honor of Prof. Shinji Murai
Synthesis of Dibenzyls by Nickel-Catalyzed Homocoupling of Benzyl Alcohols
Feng-Feng Pan
a
State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. of China
b
College of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Tianshui Normal University, 60 South Xihe Road, Tianshui, 741001, P. R. of China
,
Peng Guo
a
State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. of China
,
Xiaochuang Huang
c
Jiangsu Tasly Diyi Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., 168 West Chaoyang Road, Huai’An, Jiangsu, 223003, P. R. of China
,
a
State Key Laboratory of Applied Organic Chemistry (SKLAOC), College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Lanzhou University, 222 South Tianshui Road, Lanzhou, 730000, P. R. of China
› Author Affiliations
Abstract
Dibenzyls are essential building blocks that are widely used in organic synthesis, and they are typically prepared by the homocoupling of halides, organometallics, and ethers. Herein, we report an approach to this class of compounds using alcohols, which are more stable and readily available. The reaction proceeds via nickel-catalyzed and dimethyl oxalate assisted dynamic kinetic homocoupling of benzyl alcohols. Both primary and secondary alcohols are tolerated.
Key words homocoupling - nickel - dibenzyls - alcohols - synthetic methodology
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