Reactivity of bismuth(III) halides towards alcohols. A tentative to mechanistic investigation

The reactivity of bismuth(III) halides (BiX3; X=Cl, Br and I) towards a series of alcohols has been investigated. Three different reactions have been studied, namely: halogenation, dehydration and etherification. The behaviour of these bismuth derivatives was found to depend on the nature of the halide bonded to the bismuth atom. Their reactivities can be interpreted on the basis of the Hard and Soft Acids and Bases (HSAB) principle. A mechanism is proposed which involves the formation of a complex of the alcohol with Bi(III).