Friedel-Crafts acylation with mixed anhydrides

The acylation of dibenzofuran is carried out under the usual Friedel-Crafts conditions with an acid chloride or an acid anhydride in the presence of aluminum chloride. Dibenzofuran on treatment with 2-trifluoromethane-sulfonyloxypyridine and benzoic acid in boiling trifluoroacetic acid produces the 2-benzoyl derivative in 75% yield. The species responsible for benzoyla-tion is probably a mixed anhydride of trifluoromethanesulfonic acid and benzoic acid. Dibenzofuran on treatment with 2-benzoyloxypyridine and trifluoroacetic acid also produces the 2-benzoyl compound (21%). The kinetics of the acetylation of dibenzofuran with acetyl chloride and aluminum chloride in nitroethane at 25"C have been studied. Only the 2-acetyl compound was detected by the methods used. The rate obtained is in general agreement with the studies mentioned previously. The rate of acetylation of diphenyl ether relative to toluene was 138 (+ 16), whereas that of dibenzofuran was 5.9 ( 0.3). In contrast, the benzoylation of dibenzofuran with benzoyl chloride in the presence of aluminum chloride in nitrobenzene at... 

Proton acids can be used as catalysts when the reagent is a carboxylic acid. The mixed carboxylic sulfonic anhydrides RCOOSO2CF3 are extremely reactive acylating agents and can smoothly acylate benzene without a catalyst.265 With active substrates (e.g., aryl ethers, fused-ring systems, thiophenes), Friedel-Crafts acylation can be carried out with very small amounts of catalyst, often just a trace, or even sometimes with no catalyst at all. Ferric chloride, iodine, zinc chloride, and iron are the most common catalysts when the reactions is carried out in this manner.266... 

It is known that certain Friedel-Crafts acylations of reactive aromatics may proceed with a small amount of catalyst or even, to some extent, with no catalyst at all.41 Effective catalysts are Fe, FeCl3, ZnCl2, iodine, and hydroiodic acid. However, satisfactory yields are usually obtained with activated and polynuclear aromatics, and heterocycles. The mixed anhydrides acyl triflates are also powerful acylating agents without catalyst.34... 

New Soluble Catalysts. Trifluoromethansulfonic acid (triflic acid, TfOH)42 and acyl triflates, that is mixed anhydrides of carboxylic acids and triflic acid,43 44 were first reported to be effective for Friedel-Crafts acylation in 1972. Significantly lower yields (<30%) were obtained with other Brpnsted acids. High activities were also observed for perfluorobutanesulfonic acid.37... 

The acylation of thiophenes has been reviewed (86HC(44/3)309). The best catalyst for the Friedel-Crafts acylation of thiophene, using free carboxylic acids, appears to be 2-(trifhioromethylsulfonyloxy)pyridine (84) in conjunction with TFA. 2-Acylthiophene is formed in quantitative yield, without any evidence of the thiophene dimerizing. The reaction might be mediated by the mixed anhydride (85) (Scheme 15) (88BCJ455) (cf. (84CHEC-(4)74l)). 

Hard Lewis acid chloroaluminate ionic liquids show intense catalytic activity in the Friedel-Crafts acylation reaction however, they suffer from the same issues as anhydrous aluminum chloride. i Of particular interest to these reactions, aluminum chloride may be replaced by indium trichloride to form chloroindate(III) ionic liquids. The advantage of using indium trichloride compared with aluminum chloride is represented by its hydrolytic stability and reduced oxophilicity. Chloroindate(III) ionic liquids are synthesized by mixing l-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [C4mim]Cl with anhydrous indium trichloride at 80°C. In the benzoyla-tion of anisole with benzoic anhydride (BAN) at 80°C, the best yield of... 

Friedel-Crafts acylation. Using the AgC104-SiCl4 combination as catalyst, the acylation of arenes with free carboxylic acids and an aroic anhydride proceeds via the mixed anhydrides. 

A number of variations of the Friedel-Crafts reaction conditions are possible. Acid anhydrides can serve as the acylating agent in place of acid chlorides. Also, the carboxylic acid can be used directly, particularly in combination with strong acids. For example, mixtures of carboxylic acids with polyphosphoric acid, in which a mixed anhydride is presumably formed in situ, are reactive acylating agents. Similarly, carboxylic acids dissolved in trifluoromethanesulfonic acid can carry out Friedel-Crafts acylation. The reactive electrophile under these conditions is believed to be the protonated mixed anhydride. In these procedures, the leaving group... 

Activated Esters. Mixed anhydrides may be prepared by reaction of carboxylic acids with trifluoroacetic anhydride. The method has been used widely as a means of activating carboxyl groups to nucleophilic attack. The method has also been highly useful in Friedel-Crafts acylation of arenes (eqs 1 and 2). Sulfonic acids are also activated to nucleophilic attack substituted sulfones result. Intramolecular Friedel-Crafts reactions are also facilitated, but only for formation of six-membered rings. ... 

Highly reactive mixed anhydrides can also promote acylation. Phenylacetic acid reacts with alkenes to give 2-tetralones in TFAA-H3P04.55 This reaction involves an intramolecular Friedel-Crafts alkylation subsequent to the acylation. 

Aryltrifluoromethyl ketones are prepared by reaction of an aryl-lithium with a,a,a-trifluoro-N,N-dimethylacetamide. 2-Acyloxypyridines and N-acylimidazoles, " in conjunction with trifluoroacetic acid, acylate arenes in good yield without the need for a classical Friedel-Crafts catalyst or a preformed mixed anhydride. However, imidazole in trifluoroacetic anhydride is reported to form 2-aryl-Af,JV -diacyl-4-imidazolines with arenes reactive towards electrophilic attack. These adducts are readily hydrolysed by sodium hydroxide to the corresponding aldehyde [equation (14)]. This sequence may offer advantages over the Vilsmeier method of formylation, in that the aldehyde is introduced in a protected form. 

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