Highly Efficient Selective Benzylation of Carbohydrates Catalyzed by Iron(III) with Silver Oxide and Bromide Anion as Co‐catalysts

It was firstly reported a green regioselective benzylation method with both mild reaction temperature and high reaction efficiency (short reaction time). With the use of 0.6 equiv. of Ag2O and 0.1 equiv. of TBABr as co-catalysts, an iron(III)-catalyzed benzylation can proceed to completion at 40 oC in 2 - 3 hours with high regioselectivities and isolated yields. The mechanism was proposed involving the principle on enhanced basicity of Ag2O by soft anions.