An efficient intermolecular BINAM–copper(I) catalyzed Ullmann-type coupling of aryl iodides/bromides with aliphatic alcohols

A wide range of alkyl aryl ethers are synthesized from the corresponding aryl iodides and aliphatic alcohols through Ullmann-type intermolecular coupling reactions in the presence of a catalytic amount of easily available BINAM–CuI complex. Less reactive aryl bromides have also been shown to react with aliphatic alcohols under identical reaction conditions to give good yields of the alkyl aryl ethers without increasing the reaction temperature and time.