Co2(CO)8-Catalyzed Reaction of Benzylic Acetates with HSiMe3 and CO. A Novel Method for Homologation of Alcohols

Article abstract of DOI:10.1021/jo00311a001

In the presence of Co2(CO)8, the reaction of benzyl acetates with HSiMe3 and carbon monoxide under mild reaction conditions (25 deg C, 1 atm of CO) resulted in the incorporation of CO to give β-phenethyl alcohols.The reaction is applicable to naphthyl-, furanyl-, thiophenyl-, and even ferrocenyl methyl acetates.