Brønsted Acid-Catalyzed Direct Dehydroxylative Allylation of Benzylic Alcohols with Allylsilanes in 1,1,1,3,3,3-Hexafluoro-2-propanol.

A direct dehydroxylative allylation reaction of benzylic alcohols with allylsilanes catalyzed by Brønsted acids in 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol was developed. A wide variety of secondary and tertiary benzylic alcohols are applicable to the reaction with various allyltrimethylsilanes, to provide the corresponding coupling products in high yields. Using this catalytic transformation, a concise and short-step synthesis of (±)-crucudiol was achieved.