Bisphosphonium salt: an effective photocatalyst for the intramolecular hydroalkoxylation of olefins

A photocatalytic, intramolecular hydroalkoxylation of alkenes has been achieved by utilizing simple and readily available biphosphonium salts as an effective organic photocatalyst. The unique photocatalytic properties of biphosphonium salt enables facile oxidations of substituted alkenes to facilitate the streamline and regioselective synthesis of a series of saturated cyclic ethers from simple alkenes under mild conditions. (C) 2019 Science China Press. Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science China Press. All rights reserved.