CuBr-Mediated Oxyalkylation of Styrenes by Cyclic Ethers

Significance

The direct functionalization of C-H bonds offers an attractive way for the fast construction of relatively complex carbon scaffolds. The described reaction is a new type of vinyl­arenes oxyalkylation via the cleavage of a sp^³ bond, adjacent to the oxygen atom. The products of such oxyalkylation are substituted ketones. This reaction utilizes an inexpensive catalyst and is quite easy to perform, giving simple access, among other products, to synthetically useful protected β-keto aldehydes.