Abstract
Nucleophilic substitution of ferrocenyl alcohols with various aliphatic alcohols in the presence of a catalytic amount of ytterbium triflate [Yb(OTf)3] was studied. It was found the unsymmetrical ferrocenyl ethers could be easily obtained in excellent yields when the reactions were performed in primary and secondary alcohols. However, in other organic non-alcoholic solvents such as acetonitrile, the formation of symmetrical ferrocenyl ethers rather than unsymmetrical ones was observed. A convenient way for the etherification of ferrocenyl alcohols in the presence of catalytic amounts of Yb(OTf)3 was described, which afforded symmetrical ferrocenyl ethers in the non-alcoholic organic solvents and unsymmetrical ferrocenyl ethers in the alcoholic organic solvents.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 1887-1893 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Chinese Journal of Chemistry |
| Volume | 29 |
| Issue number | 9 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - Sep 2011 |
| Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- ferrocenyl alcohols
- nucleophilic substitution
- solvolysis
- ytterbium