The efficiency of direct conversion of tertiary alcohols bearing a β-hydrogen atom to vicinal halohydrins-chlorohydrins and bromohydrins-under green reaction conditions was tested preliminarily on model tertiary benzyl alcohols. Tertiary alcohols were successfully directly halogenated to vicinal halohydrins with N-halosuccinimide in aqueous media. The efficiency of the reaction in water was significantly improved in the presence of sodium dodecyl sulphate as the surfactant.
Keywords: N-halosuccinimides; halogenation; halohydrins; tertiary alcohols; water.