Direct, iridium-catalyzed enantioselective and regioselective allylic etherification with aliphatic alcohols

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/anie.200705267

(Chemical Equation Presented) From alcohol to ether: Iridium-catalyzed allylations yield α chiral ether derivatives directly from aliphatic alcohols with a simple alkali metal base (see equation). These reactions form ethers from primary, secondary, and tertiary alkoxides with high enantioselectivity. By-products from isomerization were suppressed by the use of an alkyne additive.