Efficient Method for the Preparation of Primary, Inverted Secondary and Tertiary Alkyl Carboxylates from Alcohols and Carboxylic Acids by a New Type of Oxidation–Reduction Condensation Using Simple 1,4-Benzoquinone

A new type of oxidation–reduction condensation using in situ formed alkoxydiphenylphosphines (i.e., diphenylphosphinite esters), easily available 1,4-benzoquionone and carboxylic acids provides a new and efficient method for the preparation of alkyl carboxylates from the corresponding alcohols under mild and neutral conditions. Further, the yields of the corresponding inverted carboxylates were equally high in the case of chiral secondary or tertiary alcohols.