Solvent-free tetrahydropyranylation of alcohols catalyzed by amine methanesulfonates

A comparative study of tetrahydropyranylation of alcohols under various solvents or solvent-free conditions using different amine methanesulfonates as catalysts shows that tetrahydropyranyl ethers of alcohols are obtained under solvent-free conditions in good yields using catalytic amounts of triethylenediamine methanesulfonate, 1,6-hexanediamine methanesulfonate, diethylenetriamine methanesulfonate and pyridine methanesulfonate, respectively. The reaction occurs readily in short times at room temperature catalyzed by these catalysts, especially triethylenediamine methanesulfonate. Some of the major advantages of this procedure are that the catalysts are environmentally friendly, highly effective, and easy to prepare and handle. The reaction is also clean and needs no solvent, and the work-up is very simple.