IRON-CATALYZED CROSS-COUPLING OF METHANOL WITH SECONDARY OR TERTIARY ALCOHOLS TO PRODUCE FORMATE ESTERS

摘要

A process for preparing a variety of secondary and tertiary alkyl formate esters via the coupling of methanol and secondary (or tertiary) alcohols. Iron-based catalysts, supported by pincer ligands, are employed to produce these formate esters in high yields and unprecedentedly high selectivities (99%). Remarkably, the coupling strategy is also applicable to bulkier tertiary alcohols, which afford corresponding tertiary formate esters in moderately high yields and high selectivities.