Mild, Efficient and Catalyst‐Free Hydroxylation of Alkyl Halides in Water: Significant Enhancement of Water Nucleophilicity in Dipolar Solvents

Abstract A new and efficient method for the hydroxylation of heteroarylalkyl, arylalkyl and alkyl halides has been developed by exploiting the nucleophilicity of water. The method being operated under neutral conditions, avoids acid/base or metal assisted catalysis. The protocol has been optimized for a range of aqueous aprotic/protic solvents. The new operation is very simple, highly economical, ecofriendly, safest and suitable for acid/base sensitive motifs in yielding the products at high purity.