Five- and six-membered ring cyclic ethers are efficiently prepared by
exo-mode oxymercuration of the corresponding olefinic alcohols with Hg
(OTf)(2). A seven-membered ring ether is prepared using Hg(OTf)(2) alo
ng with TMU. However, this procedure is not effective for the preparat
ion of four- and eight-membered ring ethers.