A new, mild, general and efficient route to aryl ethyl carbonates in solvent-free conditions promoted by magnesium perchlorate

A new, general and mild method for the direct synthesis of aryl and alkyl ethyl carbonates promoted by a Lewis acid is reported. The reaction proceeds smoothly with diethyl dicarbonate in the presence of Mg(ClO4)(2), a specific activator of 1,3-dicarbonyl compounds, and shows general applicability.