This thesis focuses on the development of methods for the activation of the hydroxyl group in non-derivatized alcohols in substitution reactions. The thesis is divided into two parts, describing three different catalytic systems.

The first part of the thesis (Chapter 2) describes nucleophilic allylation of amines with allylic alcohols, using a palladium catalyst to generate unsymmetrical diallylated amines. The corresponding amines were further transformed by a one-pot ring-closing metathesis and aromatization reaction to afford β-substituted pyrroles with linear and branched alkyl, benzyl, and aryl groups in overall moderate to good yields.

The second part (Chapters 3 and 4) describes the direct intramolecular stereospecific nucleophilic substitution of the hydroxyl group in enantioenriched alcohols by Lewis acid and Brønsted acid/base catalysis.

In Chapter 3, the direct intramolecular substitution of non-derivatized alcohols has been developed using Fe(OTf)₃ as catalyst. The hydroxyl groups of aryl, allyl, and alkyl alcohols were substituted by the attack of O- and N-centered nucleophiles, to provide five- and six-membered heterocycles in up to excellent yields with high enantiospecificities. Experimental studies showed that the reaction follows first-order dependence with respect to the catalyst, the internal nucleophile, and the internal electrophile of the substrate. Competition and catalyst-substrate interaction experiments demonstrated that this transformation proceeds via an S_N2-type reaction pathway.

In Chapter 4, a Brønsted acid/base catalyzed intramolecular substitution of non-derivatized alcohols was developed. The direct intramolecular and stereospecific substitution of different alcohols was successfully catalyzed by phosphinic acid (H₃PO₂). The hydroxyl groups of aryl, allyl, propargyl, and alkyl alcohols were substituted by O-, N-, and S-centered nucleophiles to generate five- and six-membered heterocycles in good to excellent yields with high enantiospecificities. Mechanistic studies (both experiments and density functional theory calculations) have been performed on the reaction forming five-membered heterocyclic compounds. Experimental studies showed that phosphinic acid does not promote S_N1 reactivity. Rate-order determination indicated that the reaction follows first-order dependence with respect to the catalyst, the internal nucleophile, and the internal electrophile. DFT calculations corroborated with a reaction pathway in which the phosphinic acid has a dual activation mode and operates as a bifunctional Brønsted acid/Brønsted base to simultaneously activate both the nucleophile and nucleofuge, resulting in a unique bridging transition state in an S_N2-type reaction mechanism.