A Highly Chemoselective and Rapid Chlorination of Benzyl Alcohols under Neutral Conditions

Abstract

A rapid and highly selective chlorination method has been developed using 2,4,6-trichloro-1,3,5-triazine (TCT) catalyzed by dimethyl sulfoxide. The reactions take 10 to 40 minutes, and the yields are almost quantitative. The neutral reaction conditions are compatible with substrates bearing acid-labile functional groups. Both competitive intramolecular and intermolecular reactions for benzyl alcohols in the presence of aliphatic alcohols indicate high selectivity. The procedure has been successfully used in the selective chlorination of gastrodin, a clinically used neuromedicine. This procedure represents a useful new tool in organic and medicinal chemistry.

Key words

benzyl alcohols - benzyl chlorides - chemoselectivity - halogenation - sulfoxides

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