Dehydration of Benzyl Alcohols in Phosphonium Ionic Liquids: Synthesis of Ethers and Alkenes

Abstract

Dehydration of benzylic alcohols has been studied in several phosphonium ionic liquids in the absence of any metal catalysts. Benzyl ethers and alkenes were obtained from primary and secondary benzylic alcohols in good to excellent yields for these reactions. Commercially available hydrophobic phosphonium ionic liquids containing the trihexyl(tetradecyl)phosphonium cation paired with six different anions were used for the reactions under microwave irradiation. The interaction of the substrate with the ionic liquid was investigated using different NMR techniques, such as NOESY NMR. The effects of cation and anions on the behaviour of these ionic liquids in the reactions were studied in order to understand the mechanism. A catalytic cycle is proposed involving activation of the benzyl alcohol by the phosphonium cation.