Patent ID: 7314961

Claim:
A method of producing an ether, which comprises subjecting a conjugated diene compound and an alcohol to a telomerization reaction in the presence of a catalyst composition to give an ether, wherein the catalyst composition comprises (i) a palladium compound, (ii) an isocyanide represented by the formula (I) R 1 R 2 R 3 CNC (I) wherein R 1 , R 2 and R 3 are the same or different and each is an optionally substituted alkyl group or two of them optionally form a cycloalkyl group together with a carbon atom bonded thereto, and (iii) a base represented by the formula (II) M(OR 4 ) n (II) wherein M is an alkali metal, an alkaline earth metal, or an onium, R 4 is a hydrogen atom, an optionally substituted alkyl group, an optionally substituted alkenyl group, an optionally substituted aryl group, or an optionally substituted aralkyl group, with the proviso that when M is an alkali metal or an onium, then n is 1, and when M is an alkaline earth metal, then n is 2.