Silver(I) oxide mediated highly selective monotosylation of symmetrical diols. Application to the synthesis of polysubstituted cyclic ethers.

[reaction: see text] The reaction of symmetrical diols and oligo(ethylene glycol)s with a stoichiometric amount of p-toluenesulfonyl chloride in the presence of silver(I) oxide and a catalytic amount of potassium iodide led selectively to the monotosylate derivatives in high yields. Polysubstituted cyclic ethers were obtained readily upon treatment of the corresponding diols with an excess of silver oxide. The high selectivity was explained on the basis of the difference in acidity between the two hydroxy groups, which undergo an intramolecular hydrogen bonding.