An alternative route for boron phenoxide preparation from arylboronic acid and its application for C – O bond formation

Abstract An efficient synthetic route to benzyl phenyl ether preparation has been successfully developed via a one-pot synthetic protocol utilizing a combination of arylboronic acids, hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), and benzyl halides. The whole procedure consists of two consecutive reactions, formation of boron phenoxide from arylboronic acids and its nucleophilic attack. A simple operation under mild conditions such as room-temperature ionic liquid (choline hydroxide), aerobic environment, and absence of metal- and base-catalysts has been employed. Expansion to utilize benzyl surrogates was also successfully accomplished.