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Updated: May 20, 2026

A Two-Step Protocol for Umpolung Functionalization of Ketones Via Enolonium Species
Published on: August 16, 2018
Synthesis of aryl ethers via a sulfonyl transfer reaction
Neal W Sach1, Daniel T Richter, Stephan Cripps
1Pfizer Global Research and Development, 10770 Science Center Drive, San Diego, California 92121, USA.
Abstract:
A general synthesis of aryl ethers from primary and secondary alcohols and aryl mesylates is presented. The reaction proceeds via a sulfonyl-transfer mechanism. In this paper, we compare the sulfonyl transfer reaction to Mitsunobu ether formation. The reaction can be employed in a multistep synthesis where the aryl mesylate is used as a phenol protecting group and then as an activating group for ether formation. This protecting/activating group strategy is demonstrated using raloxifene as the target.
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