Phenylpropanes, substituted, aromatic

Thus cumene [98-82-8] (1-methylethylbenzene, 2-phenylpropane, isopropylbenzene), is a substituted aromatic compound ia the benzene (qv),... 

In a series of papers, Jacquesy and Jouannetaud have demonstrated the efficacy of aromatic cyclization reactions in HF SbF5 medium.784 l,3-Bis(methoxyphenyl) propanes and other substituted phenylpropanes 233 give substituted indenes (234) and tricyclic spiro enones (235) in the superacid medium844 (Scheme 5.84). 

The air oxidation of substituted catechols to the corresponding 0-benzoquinones is catalyzed by a variety of Cu(II)-amine systems. It appears that the mechanism involves the formation of a dicopper(II) catecholate intermediate electron transfer then occurs from the aromatic ring to give the o-benzoquinone and two Cu(I) centers. The latter then react with dioxygen and the catechol to regenerate the dicopper(II) catecho-late. A study of the effect of chloride ions on the kinetics of the copper-catalyzed oxidation of ascorbic acid by dioxygen does not rule out the involvement of Cu(I) intermediates but a mechanism involving Cu(III) is preferred. Kinetic studies on Cu(II)-catalyzed oxidation of enamines [e.g., equation (26)] and 3-phenylpropanal have been reported. 

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