Significant Enhancement in Efficiency and Selectivity of Iron-Catalyzed Oxidative Cross-Coupling of Phenols by Fluoroalcohols

Eden Gaster, Chemistry, Ben Gurion University, Beer sheva, Israel

Significant rate acceleration and enhancement of chemoselectivity can be achieved in iron-catalyzed oxidative coupling of phenols by fluoroalcohols such as 2,2,2-trifluoroethanol and 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoropropan-2-ol (HFIP). The  effect was examined for the cross-coupling of phenol with b-dicarbonyl compounds and was applied in the synthesis of 2’’’-dehydroxycalodenin B