Direct Carbohydroxylation of Arylalkenes with Allylic Alcohols: Cooperative Catalysis of Copper, Silver, and a Brønsted Acid.

The cooperative catalysis of copper, silver, and Brønsted acid is presented as a new strategy for olefin functionalization. The catalytic direct carbohydroxylation of arylalkenes with allylic alcohols provided a straightforward and efficient approach for preparing 4,5-unsaturated alcohols. Synthetically useful functional groups, such as Cl, Br, carbonyl, and chloromethyl, remained intact during the functionalization reaction.