Author(s)

Thies Thiemann

Department of Chemistry, College of Science, United Arab Emirates University, Al Ain, Abu Dhabi, UAE.

In the presence of either Pd/C or Pt/C, 4-alkoxybenzyl alcohols, 4-alkoxy-phenylalkyl alcohols and cinnamyl alcohols undergo liquid etherification to bis(4-alkoxybenzyl) ethers, bis[(4-alkoxybenzyl)alkyl] ethers and bis(cin-namyl) ethers at temperatures of 100°C - 135°C. In a number of cases, Pt/C and Pd/C as catalysts, also when they are doped with Ru, show distinct differences when the reactions run in air, with an oxidative dehydrogenation of the alcohols as side-reaction, yielding the corresponding ketones and aldehydes as by-products. Also, the reactivity of fluorinated phenylalkenols under these conditions has been investigated. Furthermore, the immobilization of alkyl aryl ethers on silica within a column with passage of hexane as solvent was found to lead to the formation and elution of styrenes from the column in fair yield.

Benzyl Alcohols, Etherification, Platinum on Carbon, Palladium on Carbon, Activated Carbon, Solvent Free Reaction

Thiemann, T. (2018) Liquid Etherification of Alkoxybenzyl Alcohols, Cinnamyl Alcohols and Fluorinated Phenylalkenols with Platinum on Carbon (Pt/C) and Palladium on Carbon (Pd/C). International Journal of Organic Chemistry, 8, 84-104. doi: 10.4236/ijoc.2018.81005.