Non-dehydrative pinacol rearrangement using a Lewis acid-trialkyl orthoester combined system

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0040-4020(98)00948-X

An efficient pinacol rearrangement mediated by trialkyl orthoformate has been developed. The reactions of various types of diols with a catalytic amount of a Lewis acid in the presence of an orthoester afforded the rearranged product in good yields via a cyclic orthoester intermediate. This combined system is applicable not only to cyclic and acyclic tri- and tetra- substituted diols but also to the diols having acid-sensitive acetals.