Simple Preparation of Esters from Grignard Reagents and Alcohols

Significance

This procedure is a highly practical method for the preparation of esters directly from Grignard reagents and alcohols, avoiding a separate step of isolation of the corresponding carboxylic acid. Functional groups like an ester in the alcohol molecule are tolerated. The reaction is very simple to perform and affords good to excellent yields of products. Primary, secondary and benzylic alcohols as well as the variety of other Grignard reagents were shown to react smoothly in this new acylation procedure.