Monofluoroalkylation and alkylation of alcohols using non-volatile reagents.

Non-volatile S -Alkyl- S -phenyl-2,3,4,5-tetramethylphenylsulfonium triflate or tetrafluoroborate salts have been used to alkylate alcohols in the presence of sodium hydride. This is a simple and efficient method for the synthesis of ethers from complex alcohols and an alternative to the usual O -alkylation methods. This method was especially important for the preparation of monofluoromethyl ethers of a wide range of alcohols. Some alkylated derivatives of the precursors of some bioactive compounds were also prepared using these reagents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]