Copper/Selectfluor‐System‐Catalyzed Dehydration–Oxidation of Tertiary Cyclo­alcohols: Access to β‐Substituted Cyclohex‐2‐enones, 4‐Arylcoumarins, and Bi­aryls

Abstract A route to β‐substituted cyclohex‐2‐enones, 4‐arylcoumarins, and biaryls has been developed. This approach involves a one‐pot Cu 0 /Selectfluor‐catalyzed dehydration–oxidation of tertiary cycloalcohols. Thus, by using 2 equiv. of Selectfluor at 25 °C, the dehydration–oxidation of tertiary cyclohexanols and oxabenzocyclohexanols gave β‐substituted cyclohex‐2‐enones and 4‐arylcoumarins, respectively; whereas the dehydration–oxidation of tertiary cyclohexanols gave biaryls as the final products by using 2.5 equiv. of Selectfluor at 80 °C.