Copper-catalyzed esterification of alkylbenzenes with cyclic ethers and cycloalkanes via C(sp3)-H activation following cross-dehydrogenative coupling.

A copper-catalyzed cross-dehydrogenative coupling strategy has been developed for the synthesis of two classes of esters from simple solvents. The reaction of methylarenes with cyclic ethers resulted in α-acyloxy ethers involving four sp(3) C-H cleavages, while treatment of methylarenes with cycloalkanes led to the formation of allyl esters at the expense of six consecutive sp(3) C-H bonds.