Electrophilic aromatic substitution, acylation alkylation, limitations

Other typical electrophilic aromatic substitution reactions—nitration (second entry) sul fonation (fourth entry) and Friedel-Crafts alkylation and acylation (fifth and sixth entnes)—take place readily and are synthetically useful Phenols also undergo elec trophilic substitution reactions that are limited to only the most active aromatic com pounds these include mtrosation (third entry) and coupling with diazomum salts (sev enth entry)... 

In the gas phase, alkylation of five-membered heterocycles by alkyl cations usually occurs via the usual addition-elimination mechanism of aromatic electrophilic substitution. The phenyl cation behaves differently, however although its substrate discrimination is limited, in accord with its exceedingly high reactivity, it has marked selectivity for the a position, which does not conform with the hard character of this cation. It has, therefore, been suggested that an electron-transfer mechanism is followed this is thermodynamically allowed for the phenylium, and likewise for the methyl cation, but not for other alkyl cations (Scheme 28). This SET mechanism applies also for acyl cations [87]. 

Successively, Friedel and Crafts studied the generality and the limitations of the new synthetic method. They found that the reaction could be successfully applied to a large number of aromatic compounds, as well as alkyl and acyl chlorides or anhydrides in the presence of chlorides of certain metals such as aluminum, zinc, and iron. A mechanistic hypothesis was postulated on the basis of the possible existence of an intermediate compound 3 formed between benzene and aluminum chloride (Scheme 1.2). This intermediate would react with the electrophilic reagent, giving the substitution product and restoring the catalyst. 

The electrophile is usually produced by the reaction between a catalyst and a compound containing a potential electrophile (Eq. 15.3). The second-order nature of the reaction arises from the step shown in Equation 15.4 in which one molecule each of arene and electrophile react to give a cationic intermediate. The formation of this cation is the rate-determining step (rds) in the overall reaction the subsequent deprotonation of the cation (Eq. 15.5) is fast. The bimolecular nature of the transition state for the rate-limiting step and the fact that an electrophile is involved in attacking the aromatic substrate classifies the reaction as S 2 (Substitution Electrophilic Bimolecular). Experiments involving four different such reactions are given in this chapter Friedel-Crafts alkylation and acylation, nitration, and bromination. 

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