Chromium chloride Friedel-Crafts reaction

Rhodium acetylacetonate differed considerably from the other metal chelates in the acetylation reaction (26). Under the same conditions that had given extensive acetylation of the cobalt and chromium acetylacetonates, the rhodium chelate reacted very slowly and formed only a small amount of the monoacetylated compound (XX). Fortunately, the hydrolytic stability of rhodium acetylacetonate is such that the Friedel-Crafts reaction can be carried out under vigorous conditions that would rapidly degrade the chromium and cobalt chelates. Thus treatment of rhodium acetylacetonate with acetyl chloride and aluminum chloride in dichloroethane afforded the mono- and diacetylated chelates (XX and XXI). No triacetylated chelate was isolated from this reaction. In a similar manner butyryl-and benzoyl-substituted rhodium chelates (XXIII and XXIV) have been prepared. These and other experiments indicate that the rhodium acetylacetonate ring is less reactive than the cobalt or chromium rings. 

The by far strongest known Lewis acid is antimony pentafluoride, SbFj. Metal fluorides of aluminum, iron, chromium, etc., do not play a prominent role in this context, but instead the chlorides are considered as strong Lewis acids to be used, for example, in Friedel-Crafts reactions. In 1999, Christe et al. [59] introduced the pF scale that provided for the first time a quantification of Lewis acidity strength of metal fluorides and chlorides. Their approach is based on ab initio calculations of the free formation energies of the gas-phase reactions of molecular metal fluorides with a gaseous fluoride anion (Equation (6.11)) ... 

Compared to the relatively young history of the pure metal, aluminium compounds have been known for ages from the above-cited alum class to the more exclusive transition metal-doped aluminium oxides like ruby and sapphire (corundum varieties with chromium for the former and titanium and iron impurities for the latter) or aluminosilicate-like emeralds (a beryl type with chromium and vanadium impurities). However, to the synthetic chemist, aluminium chloride, is de facto one of the first jewels of the aluminium family. Aluminium trichloride (together with titanium tetrachloride, tin tetrachloride and boron trifluoride) is an exemplary Lewis acid that finds many applications in organic synthesis It is extensively used for instance in Friedel-Crafts alkylations and acylations, in Diels-Alder-type cycloadditions and polymerisation reactions. Its involvement in a wide range of reactions has been documented in many reviews and book chapters. ... 

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