Copper-catalyzed synthesis of phenols from aryl halides and 4-methoxylbenzyl alcohol

A catalytic method was developed to synthesize substituted phenols from the corresponding aryl bromides and chlorides under mild conditions (yields = 34–92%). 4-Methoxylbenzyl alcohol was used as water surrogate and CuI/3,4,7,8-tetramethyl-1,10-phenanthroline was used as catalyst to achieve the C–O cross-coupling.