Graphite-catalyzed acylative cleavage of ethers with acyl halides

Article abstract of DOI:10.1246/cl.1998.319

Graphite is found to catalyze acylative cleavage of ethers such as benzylic, allylic, tert-butylic and cyclic ethers with acyl halides to give the corresponding esters in good to excellent yields. Benzylic ether was cleaved chemoselectively, when a variety of other functional groups was present, to produce the corresponding ester along with benzyl halide.