Application of 1,4-pentanediol as a renewable solvent for copper-catalyzed Ullmann-type coupling reactions

It was demonstrated that 1,4-pentanediol as a biomass-originated polar protic solvent could be utilized as an alternative reaction medium for copper-catalyzed Ullmann-type coupling reactions of aryl iodides and various amines under mild conditions. The effect of the copper source, the base, the water, and the gamma-valerolactone content of the reaction mixture on the reaction performance was investigated. Eighteen cross-coupling products were isolated with yields of 11-69 %, and high purity (>98 %). Two O-arylated products, 4-phenoxypentan-1-ol and 5-phenoxypentan-2-ol were characterized. The recycling of the solvents after product isolation was also demonstrated. These results represent an example that proves that biomass-derived safer solvents can be utilized in common, industrially important transformations.