Impact of potassium salts on aromatic substitution reactions

Potassium salts, and potassium benzoate in particular, were shown to dramatically accelerate aromatic substitution reactions between a chiral secondary alkoxide and aryl fluoride substrates, There was no loss of chiral purity, and ether yields exceeded those obtained in trials containing no salt additive. The generality of the method was demonstrated by the observation of rate accelerations in several solvents and with several deprotonation bases.