One-Step Synthesis of Triphenylphosphonium Salts from (Het)arylmethyl Alcohols.

Two approaches for the synthesis of substituted phosphonium salts from easily available benzyl alcohols and their heterocyclic analogs have been developed. The developed protocols are complementary: the direct mixing of alcohol, trimethylsilyl bromide, and triphenylphosphine in 1,4-dioxane followed by heating at 80 °C was found to be more efficient for acid-sensitive substrates, such as salicyl or furfuryl alcohols as well as secondary benzyl alcohols, while a one-pot procedure including sequential addition of trimethylsilyl bromide and triphenylphosphine gave higher yields for benzyl alcohols bearing electroneutral or electron-withdrawing substituents.