C─C Coupling of Methylene Ketones with Alcohols Enabled by Fe-Catalysis: Access to Substituted Pyrroles and Pharmaceuticals

Herein, we have reported a sustainable and chemo-selective strategy for the synthesis of functionalized branched alcohols. A commercially available catalytic system does not need any special ligand and liberated water and hydrogen as side products. A series of alkyl primary alcohols (C4–C10), including methanol, were tolerated in good to high yield. Sequential transformations to substituted pyrroles, chromenes and synthesis of donepezil drug were obtained (>57 entries). Preliminary mechanistic investigations were performed to understand the catalytic pathways.