tertiary benzylic positions of methylbenzylethers or unsymmetrical dibenzyl ethers and is also applicable to direct allylation, alkynylation, and cyanation reactions, as well as the azidation. The present methodologies provide not only a novel chemoselectivity but also the advantage of shortened synthetic steps, due to the direct process without the deprotection of the methyl and benzylethers.
allylation product in the presence of a catalytic amount of the (cyclooctadiene)rhodium(I) chloride dimer [Rh(cod)Cl]2}, sodium tetrakis[3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)phenyl]borate (NaBARF), and triphenyl phosphite [P(OPh)3] in refluxing 1,2-dichloroethane. Primary, secondary and tertiary benzyl acetates could be used for the reaction. Moreover, allylation of gem-benzyl acetate was possible with [Rh(cod)Cl]2, NaBARF