Friedel catalyst

Friedel-catalysts n. Strongly acidic metal ha-hdes such as aluminum chloride, aluminum bromide, boron trifluoride, ferric chloride. 

Friedel-Catalysts n Strongly acidic metal halides such as aluminum chloride, aluminum bromide, boron trifluoride, ferric chloride, and zinc chloride, used in the polymerization of unsaturated hydrocarbons, e.g., olefins. (Friedel-Crafts reactions using such catalysis are named for Charles Friedel and James Crafts, who first used them in 1877.) These acidic halides are also known as Lewis acids. 

The most widely used reactions are those of electrophilic substitution, and under controlled conditions a maximum of three substituting groups, e.g. -NO2 (in the 1,3,5 positions) can be introduced by a nitric acid/sul-phuric acid mixture. Hot cone, sulphuric acid gives sulphonalion whilst halogens and a Lewis acid catalyst allow, e.g., chlorination or brom-ination. Other methods are required for introducing fluorine and iodine atoms. Benzene undergoes the Friedel-Crafts reaction. ... 

In each case the configuration around the boron changes from trigonal planar to tetrahedral on adduct formation. Because of this ability to form additional compounds, boron trifluoride is an important catalyst and is used in many organic reactions, notably polymerisation, esterification, and Friedel-Crafts acylation and alkylations. 

Aluminium chloride is used extensively in organic chemistry as a catalyst, for example in the Friedel-Crafts reaction ... 

Other catalysts which may be used in the Friedel - Crafts alkylation reaction include ferric chloride, antimony pentachloride, zirconium tetrachloride, boron trifluoride, zinc chloride and hydrogen fluoride but these are generally not so effective in academic laboratories. The alkylating agents include alkyl halides, alcohols and olefines. 

In recent years the analogy between the Friedel-Crafts aeylation reaction and various nitrating systems, partieularly those in which Lewis aeids aet as catalysts, has been stressed, but this elassifieation adds nothing new in principle. 

Friedel-Crafts catalyst ER EDEL-CRAFTSREACTIONS] (Volll)... 

Friedel-Crafts catalyst Friedel-crafts catalysts Friedel-Crafts catalysts... 

With Friedel-Crafts catalysts, butyrolactone reacts with aromatic hydrocarbons. With ben2ene, depending on experimental conditions, either phenylbutyric acid or 1-tetralone can be prepared (162). 

Uses. Boron triduoride is an excellent Lewis acid catalyst for numerous types of organic reactions. Its advantages are ease of handling as a gas and the absence of undesirable tarry by-products. As an electrophilic molecule, it is an excellent catalyst for Friedel-Crafts and many other types of reactions (63-65) (see Friedel-craftsreactions). 

Fluorosulfuric acid [7789-21-17, HSO F, is a colodess-to-light yellow liquid that fumes strongly in moist air and has a sharp odor. It may be regarded as a mixed anhydride of sulfuric and hydrofluoric acids. Fluorosulfuric acid was first identified and characterized in 1892 (1). It is a strong acid and is employed as a catalyst and chemical reagent in a number of chemical processes, such as alkylation (qv), acylation, polymerization, sulfonation, isomerization, and production of organic fluorosulfates (see Friedel-CRAFTSreactions). 

Friedel-Crafts alkylation using alkenes has important industrial appHcations. The ethylation of benzene with ethylene to ethylbenzene used in the manufacture of styrene, is one of the largest scale industrial processes. The reaction is done under the catalysis of AlCl in the presence of a proton source, ie, H2O, HCl, etc, although other catalysts have also gained significance. 

Tertiary, benzyl, and aHyhc nitro compounds can also be used as Friedel-Crafts alkylating agents eg, reaction of (CH2)3CN02 (2-nitro-2-methyl propane [594-70-7]) with anisole in the presence of SnCl gives 4-/-butylanisole [5396-38-3] (7). SoHd acids, such as perfluorodecanesulfonic acid [335-77-3], and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid [1763-23-1] have been used as catalysts for regio-selective alkylations (8). 

Alternatively the alkylated aromatic products may rearrange. -Butylbenzene [104-57-8] is readily isomerized to isobutylbenzene [538-93-2] and j Abutyl-benzene [135-98-8] under the catalytic effect of Friedel-Crafts catalysts. The tendency toward rearrangement depends on the alkylatiag ageat and the reaction conditions (catalyst, solvent, temperature, etc). 

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. 

Attempts to use acetic-formic anhydride with Friedel-Crafts catalysts resulted only in acetylation. However, using anhydrous HF as a catalyst, a small amount of aldehyde is also formed in accordance with the fact that acetic—formic anhydride gives both acetyl and formyl fluoride with HF. By continuous removal of the low boiling HCOF, the reaction can be shifted to the formation of this compound (118). 

Aliphatic Aldehyde Syntheses. Friedel-Crafts-type aUphatic aldehyde syntheses are considerably rarer than those of aromatic aldehydes. However, the hydroformylation reaction of olefins (185) and the related oxo synthesis are effected by strong acid catalysts, eg, tetracarbonylhydrocobalt, HCo(CO)4 (see Oxo process). 

Friedel-Crafts catalysts are electron acceptors, ie, Lewis acids. The alkylating ability of ben2yl chloride was selected to evaluate the relative catalytic activity of a large number of Lewis acid haUdes. The results of this study suggest four categories of catalyst activity (200) (Table 1). 

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