A Convenient and Chemoselective Acetylation and Formylation of Alcohols and Phenols Using Acetic Acid and Ethyl Formate in the Presence of Bi(III) Salts

A variety of alcohols are acetylated and formylated efficiently with acetic acid and ethyl formate in the presence of catalytic amounts of Bi(III) salts such as BiCl 3 , Bi(TFA) 3 and Bi(OTf) 3 . BiCl 3 and Bi(OTf) 3 are also effective catalysts for acetylation of phenols. All of these catalysts are ineffective in formylation of phenols. Selective acetylation and formylation of alcohols in the presence of phenols is an additional advantage of this procedure.