Convenient and Direct Azidation of sec-Benzyl Alcohols by Trimethylsilyl Azide with Bismuth(III) Triflate Catalyst

sec-Benzyl azides were efficiently prepared by bismuth(III)-catalyzed direct azidation of sec-benzyl alcohols. The reaction was applied to a variety of substrates to provide the desired products in up to 99% yield within a short reaction time.