Solvent-Free Carbon-Oxygen Bond Formation Catalyzed by CeCl3.7H2O-NaI: Tetrahydropyranylation of Hydroxy Groups,

An efficient and highly chemoselective method fo the protection of free hydroxy compounds with 3,4-dihydro-2H-pyran is reported. Since the deprotection of THP-ethers occurs very readily at room temperature, the successful use of this type of protecting group depends only upon how readily it can be introduced. For this we have examined the tetrahydropyranylation of alcohols and phenols catalysed by the CeCl3·7H2O/NaI system surface under solvent-free conditions. The reaction presents the advantage of being performable under extremely mild conditions by use of catalytic amounts of an interesting Lewis acidic system consisting of the CeCl3·7H2O/NaI catalyst combination, which can be easily separated from the reaction mixture. The advantages of this procedure, which utilizes cheap and “friendly” reagents, over the previously reported ones are discussed.