Sodium Iodide‐Catalyzed Direct α‐Alkoxylation of Ketones with Alcohols <i>via</i> Oxidation of α‐Iodo Ketone Intermediates

Abstract

Abstract The direct α‐alkoxylation of ketones with alcohols via a sodium iodide‐catalyzed oxidative cross‐coupling has been developed. This protocol enables a range of alkyl aryl ketones to cross‐couple with an array of alcohols in synthetically useful yields. The mechanistic studies provided solid evidence supporting that an α‐iodo ketone was a key reaction intermediate, being converted into an α‐alkoxylated ketone via further oxidation to a hypervalent iodine species rather than a common nucleophilic substitution, and was generated from the ketone starting material via a radical intermediate. These new mechanism insights should have an effect on the design of iodide‐catalyzed oxidative cross‐coupling reactions between nucleophiles. magnified image