O-Acylation of Substituted Phenols with Various Alkanoyl Chlorides Under Phase-Transfer Catalyst Conditions

Esterification of several types of mono- and disubstituted phenols with various mono- and dialkanoyl chlorides was performed in phase-transfer catalysis conditions, using tetrabutylammonium chloride in a mixture of aqueous NaOH and dichloromethane. The process is particularly efficient (almost quantitative yields) as well as rapid (only 5 min reaction time, at a temperature of 0 °C).