Synthesis of aryl ethers

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Two types of ligands promote Cu-catalyzed alkoxylations of (hetero)aryl halides to provide alkyl aryl ethers. In case of coupling with aryl chlorides and bromides, two oxalic diamides serve as the powerful ligands. In addition, tert-butoxide enables a Cu-catalyzed alkoxylation of aryl iodides at room temperature.
Z. Chen, Y. Jiang, L. Zhang, Y. Guo, D. Ma, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2019, 141, 3541-3549.

Self-assembled octanuclear copper clusters catalyzed the coupling of aryl iodides with alcohols under mild conditions. Reactions involving low catalyst loadings (0.4%) and tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol were typically complete in 4-8 h at 110°C using an oil bath or 1-3 h with microwave heating.
G. F. Manbeck, A. J. Lipman, R. A. Stockland, A. L. Freidl, A. F. Hasler, J. J. Stone, I. A. Guzei, J. Org. Chem., 2005, 70, 244-250.

The use of 3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline (Me₄Phen) as a ligand improves the Cu-catalyzed cross-coupling reactions of aryl iodides and bromides with primary and secondary aliphatic, benzylic, allylic, and propargylic alcohols. The relatively mild conditions, tolerate a wide array of functional groups on both the electrophilic and nucleophilic coupling partners.
R. A. Altman, A. Shafir, P. A. Lichtor, S. L. Buchwald, J. Org. Chem., 2008, 73, 284-286.

In an efficient and mild copper-catalyzed ether formation from aryl halides and aliphatic alcohols, the key to a successful coupling is the use of lithium alkoxide, directly or in situ generated by lithium tert-butoxide, and the corresponding alcohol as solvent.
J. Huang, Y. Chen, J. Chan, M. L. Ronk, R. D. Larsen, M. M. Faul, Synlett, 2011, 1419-1422.

Ullmann-type coupling reactions of aryl iodides and aliphatic alcohols occur at 110 °C with N,N-dimethylglycine as the ligand, giving aryl alkyl ethers in high yields.
H. Zhang, D. Ma, W. Cao, Synlett, 2007, 243-246.

A simple and mild coupling method of aryl iodides and aliphatic alcohols, which does not require alkoxide bases, can be performed in neat alcohol or toluene as solvent. An optically active benzylic alcohol underwent the reaction with complete retention of configuration.
M. Wolter, G. Nordmann, G. E. Job, S. L. Buchwald, Org. Lett., 2002, 4, 973-976.

The use of biaryl phosphine ligand was key to achieving efficient cross-coupling of (hetero)aryl chlorides with near-equimolar amounts of secondary alcohols. An unusual reactivity difference between an electron-rich aryl bromide and the analogous aryl chloride was observed.
H. Zhang, P. Ruiz-Castillo, A. W. Schuppe, S. L. Buchwald, Org. Lett., 2020, 22, 5369-5374.

Transition-metal-free arylation of tertiary alcohols with ortho-substituted diaryliodonium salts enables the synthesis of tertiary alkyl aryl ethers of previously unprecedented steric congestion. Cyclic and acyclic aliphatic, benzylic, allylic, and propargylic tertiary alcohols as well as primary and secondary fluorinated alcohols can be converted.
E. Lindstedt, E. Stridfeldt, B. Olofsson, Org. Lett., 2016, 18, 4234-4237.

An arylation of allylic and benzylic alcohols with diaryliodonium salts yields alkyl aryl ethers under mild and metal-free conditions. Phenols are arylated to diaryl ethers in good to excellent yields. The reaction employs diaryliodonium salts and sodium hydroxide in water at low temperature, and avoids the use of excess amounts of the coupling partners.
E. Lindstedt, R. Ghosh, B. Olofsson, Org. Lett., 2013, 15, 6070-6073.

Palladium-catalzyed reactions of aryl halides including activated, nonactivated, and (hetero)aryl bromides as well as aryl chlorides with primary alcohols gave the corresponding alkyl aryl ethers in high yield in the presence of a bulky di-1-adamantyl-substituted bipyrazolylphosphine ligand. Functionalizations of primary alcohols in the presence of secondary and tertiary alcohols proceed with excellent selectivity.
S. Gowrisankar, A. G. Sergeev, P. Anbarasan, A. Spannenberg, H. Neumann, M. Beller, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2010, 132, 11592-11598.

A general Pd-catalyzed coupling of methanol with (hetero)aryl halides proceeds under mild conditions with a wide range of aryl and heteroaryl halides to give methyl aryl ethers in high yield.
C. W. Cheung, S. L. Buchwald, Org. Lett., 2013, 15, 3966-3969.

A one-pot method for the preparation of alkyl aryl ethers from aryl halides and the preparation of substituted benzofurans via a Pd-catalyzed phenol formation/cyclization protocol starting from 2-chloroaryl alkynes are described.
K. W. Anderson, T. Ikawa, R. E. Tundel, S. L. Buchwald, J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2006, 128, 10694-10695.

A formal cross-coupling of aryl methyl sulfones and alcohols affords alkyl aryl ethers via an S_RN1 pathway. A dimsyl-anion initiated radical chain process was revealed as the major pathway.
J. Bai, T. Wang, B. Dai, Q. Liu, P. Yu, T. Jia, Org. Lett., 2021, 23, 5761-5765.

A palladium-catalyzed synthesis of aryl tert-butyl ethers from a variety of unactivated aryl bromides or chlorides is described. The ether products, which are precursors to phenols, are obtained in very good yield in the presence of air-stable dialkylphosphinobiphenyl ligands.
C. A. Parrish, S. L. Buchwald, J. Org. Chem., 2001, 66, 2498-2500.