Pd-Catalyzed Substitution of the OH Group of Nonderivatized Allylic Alcohols by Phenols

Nonactivated phenols have been employed as nucleophiles in the allylation of nonderivatized allylic alcohols to generate allylated phenolic ethers with water as the only byproduct. A Pd[BiPhePhos] catalyst was found to be reactive to give the O-allylated phenols in good to excellent yields in the presence of molecular sieves. The reactions are chemo-selective in which the kinetically favored O-allylated products are formed exclusively over the thermodynamically favored C-allylated products.