Catalytic reductive etherification of ketones with alcohols at ambient hydrogen pressure: A practical, waste-minimized synthesis of dialkyl ethers

A heterogeneous platinum catalyst was found to efficiently mediate the reductive etherification of ketones at ambient hydrogen pressure. In this environmentally benign transformation, water is released as the only by-product, and this is trapped with molecular sieves. The preparative utility of the new reaction protocol is demonstrated by the synthesis of ten unsymmetrical ethers from the corresponding ketones and primary or secondary alcohols.