Aluminum chloride, friedel-Crafts

Independent of these investigations, Fischer and co-workers reasoned that the compound bis(benzene)chromium (XXV), being isoelectronic with the sandwich compound ferrocene, should be capable of formation and study. In a research program initiated in 1954, Fischer and Hafner (90, 91) discovered that chromium trichloride, reduced by aluminum powder at 150°C. in the presence of benzene and aluminum chloride (Friedel-Crafts-type method), formed a bis (benzene) chromium salt. The latter was readily reduced to the parent substance bis(benzene)chromium (XXV) by alkaline sodium dithionite solution. 

It was once thought that cation radicals played a direct part in aluminum chloride Friedel-Crafts reactions, because esr signals were detected in them (Adams and Nicksie, 1962). Later it was shown that the esr signals could be attributed to cation radicals (e.g. of anthracene) from polynuclear aromatics formed as byproducts (Banks et al., 1964). 

More than 50 years ago cinnolines 303 were synthesized by cyclizing 302 in the presence of Lewis acids (1961JCS2828). Some 30 years latter Gewald et al. reported the cyclization of 304 in the presence of nitrobenzene and anhydrous aluminum chloride (Friedel-Craft s conditions) into cinnolines 305 (1984LA1390, 2004M595 Scheme 54). 

The formation of imidoyl chlorides in the reaction of carbonimidoyl dichlorides and benzene in the presence of aluminum chloride (Friedel-Crafts reaction) is described on page 48. 

In a generalized sense, acids are electron pair acceptors. They include both protic (Bronsted) acids and Lewis acids such as AlCb and BF3 that have an electron-deficient central metal atom. Consequently, there is a priori no difference between Bronsted (protic) and Lewis acids. In extending the concept of superacidity to Lewis acid halides, those stronger than anhydrous aluminum chloride (the most commonly used Friedel-Crafts acid) are considered super Lewis acids. These superacidic Lewis acids include such higher-valence fluorides as antimony, arsenic, tantalum, niobium, and bismuth pentafluorides. Superacidity encompasses both very strong Bronsted and Lewis acids and their conjugate acid systems. 

Alkylation of benzene with alkyl halides m the presence of aluminum chloride was discovered by Charles Friedel and James M Crafts m 1877 Crafts who later became president of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology collaborated with Friedel at the Sorbonne m Pans and together they developed what we now call the Friedel-Crafts reaction into one of the most useful synthetic methods m organic chemistry... 

Secondary alkyl halides react by a similar mechanism involving attack on benzene by a secondary carbocation Methyl and ethyl halides do not form carbocations when treated with aluminum chloride but do alkylate benzene under Friedel-Crafts conditions The aluminum chloride complexes of methyl and ethyl halides contain highly polarized carbon-halogen bonds and these complexes are the electrophilic species that react with benzene... 

Alkenyl halides such as vinyl chloride (H2C=CHC1) do not form carbocations on treatment with aluminum chloride and so cannot be used m Friedel-Crafts reactions Thus the industrial preparation of styrene from benzene and ethylene does not involve vinyl chloride but proceeds by way of ethylbenzene... 

One of the most useful reac tions of acyl chlorides was presented in Section 12 7 Friedel-Crafts acylation of aromatic rings takes place when arenes are treated with acyl chlorides in the presence of aluminum chloride... 

Isopropylbenzene is prepared by the Friedel-Crafts alkylation of benzene y using isopropyl chloride and aluminum chloride (Section 12 6) j... 

As shown in the sixth entry of Table 24 4 C acylation of phenols is observed under the customary conditions of the Friedel-Crafts reaction (treatment with an acyl chloride or acid anhydride m the presence of aluminum chloride) In the absence of aluminum chloride however O acylation occurs instead... 

Thus ring acylation of phenols is observed under Friedel-Crafts conditions because the presence of aluminum chloride causes that reaction to be subject to thermodynamic (equi librium) control... 

Friedel-Crafts acylation (Section 12 7) An electrophilic aro matic substitution in which an aromatic compound reacts with an acyl chloride or a carboxylic acid anhydride in the presence of aluminum chlonde An acyl group becomes bonded to the nng... 

Ketone Synthesis. In the Friedel-Crafts ketone synthesis, an acyl group is iatroduced iato the aromatic nucleus by an acylating agent such as an acyl haUde, acid anhydride, ester, or the acid itself. Ketenes, amides, and nittiles also may be used aluminum chloride and boron ttitiuotide are the most common catalysts (see Ketones). 

Aldehyde Synthesis. Formylation would be expected to take place when formyl chloride or formic anhydride reacts with an aromatic compound ia the presence of aluminum chloride or other Friedel-Crafts catalysts. However, the acid chloride and anhydride of formic acid are both too unstable to be of preparative iaterest. 

Chiral diene—iron tricarbonyl complexes were acylated using aluminum chloride to give acylated diene—iron complexes with high enantiomeric purity (>96% ee). For example, /ra/ j -piperjdene—iron tricarbonyl reacted with acyl haUdes under Friedel-Crafts conditions to give l-acyl-l,3-pentadiene—iron tricarbonyl complex without any racemization. These complexes can be converted to a variety of enantiomericaHy pure tertiary alcohols (180). 

Acid Halides (Lewis Acids). AH metal haUde-type Lewis catalysts, generally known as Friedel-Crafts catalysts, have an electron-deficient central metal atom capable of electron acceptance from the basic reagents. The most frequendy used are aluminum chloride and bromide, followed by... 

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