Sodium tetrachloroaluminate synthesis

Molten sodium tetrachloroaluminate (a 1 1 mixture of NaCl and AICI3) is a good reaction medium for the Friedel-Crafts acylation reaction given in fig. 3.3 (Wade et al., 1979). Whereas the classical procedure for the synthesis of 1-indane from 3-phenylpropanoic acid consists of three reaction steps with a total reaction time of ca. six hours (Gattermann et al., 1982), the molten salt reaction is finished in five minutes and gives an even better yield (Wade et al., 1979). 

Esterification at room temp, with tetrachloroaluminic acid ether complex has been described The alcoholysis of a-mono-alkylacetoacetates to the corresponding esters and alkyl acetates has been accomplished with excellent yields A new modification of the Curtius degradation avoids the prepn. of acid chlorides by using in their place carboxylic alkoxyformic anhydrides intermediates well-known in peptide chemistry. Among recent developments in this latter field are the use of mixed anhydrides prepared with diphenylketene an improved peptide synthesis via azides prepared with nitrosyl chloride or butyl nitrite instead of aq. sodium nitrite and a rapid synthesis directly from acid hydrazides with N-bromosuccinimide Oligopeptides and /5-lactams have been synthesized from simple starting materials and isonitriles,... 

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