Commercial Zinc Oxide (Zn2+) as an Efficient and Environmentally Benign Catalyst for Homogeneous Benzoylation of Hydroxyl Functional Groups

The solvent‐free O‐acylation of some alcohols with benzoyl chloride was carried out to the corresponding benzoylated products in good to excellent yields by the mediation of a catalytic amount (5 mol%) of the commercially available and inexpensive zinc oxide in short reaction times. This methodology represents an eco‐friendly and simple catalytic alternative for benzoylation of primary, secondary, tertiary, and benzylic alcohols with ZnO. This catalytic system was homogeneous because of high solubility of zinc oxide in the reaction medium. Findings showed that ZnO was dissolved in hydrochloric acid, created in situ, after a few minutes. Although, others argued on the catalytic role of solid phase zinc oxide under a heterogeneous condition, it is not surprising to emphasize on the catalytic function of Zn²⁺ in the benzoylation of alcohols under homogeneous reaction conditions. Zinc oxide served as pre‐catalyst to form Zn²⁺, as the catalytically active species.