Anti-Markovnikov Hydration of Vinylarenes via Triple Relay Catalysis

Grubbs et al. have reported a direct and selective synthesis of primary alcohols (anti-Markovnikov hydration) from nonactivated vinylarenes using a triple relay catalysis system. They have proposed that the catalytic system couples palladium–catalyzed oxidation of vinylarenes to tert-butyl vinyl ethers, acid–catalyzed hydrolysis of the vinyl ethers to aldehydes, and ruthenium (Shvo’s catalyst)–catalyzed transfer hydrogenation of the aldehydes to primary alcohols.