Copper and neocuproine catalysed synthesis of cinnamyl ether derivatives directly from secondary and tertiary cinnamyl alcohols

A new method for the O -alkylation of secondary and tertiary cinnamyl alcohols with primary alcohols by employing CuSO 4 ·5H 2 O and neocuproine as catalysts was developed, and PEG-modified secondary and tertiary cinnamyl alcohols can be achieved directly.