A mild and efficient acetylation of alcohols, phenols and amines with acetic anhydride using La(NO3)3·6H2O as a catalyst under solvent-free conditions

A wide variety of alcohols, phenols and amines are efficiently and selectively converted into the corresponding acetates by treatment with acetic anhydride in the presence of catalytic amounts of La(NO3)3·6H2O under solvent-free conditions at room temperature. The method is compatible with acid sensitive hydroxyl protecting groups such as TBDMS, THP, OBz, OBn, Boc and some isopropylidenes and offers excellent yields of the mono acetates of 1,3-, 1,4- and 1,5-diols.