Avoiding precious metals is a green strategy in catalysis. We now show how simple alkali bases promote the reaction of secondary alcohols with primary alcohols to give the -alkylated product in high conversions and yields. Transition metals, and even precious metals, were needed as catalysts in all previous work on this reaction. This system minimizes the formation of waste, avoids the use of protecting groups, such as silyl ethers, and maximizes atom economy, leaving only water as a by-product.