A novel and highly efficient esterification process using triphenylphosphine oxide with oxalyl chloride

Abstract

Triphenylphosphine oxide (TPPO) and oxalyl chloride ((COCl)2) are used as novel and high-efficiency coupling reagents for the esterification of alcohols with carboxylic acids via the TPPO/(COCl)2 system at room temperature for 1 h. The reaction represents the first TPPO-promoted esterification under mild and neutral conditions with excellent yields. Furthermore, we proposed a plausible mechanism with the help of 31P NMR spectroscopy.

Keywords

• triphenylphosphine oxide
• coupling reagent
• oxalyl chloride
• esterification