Synthesis of Isooctane

Anastas and J.C. Warner, Green Chemistry, Theory and Practice , Oxford University Press (1998). 

Solid Supports and Catalysts in Organic Synthesis, ed. K. Smith, Ellis Horwood, Chichester, 1992. 

Catalysis of Organic Reactions using Supported Inorganic Reagents , VCH, New York, 1994. 

Cinouini, S. Colonna, H. Molinari and F. Montanari,/. Chem. Soc. Chem. Commun., 1976,396. 

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One of the rare cases of an intermolecular carbenium ion addition to an alkene without polymer formation occurs in the industrial synthesis of isooctane (Figure 3.54). 

Intermolecular additions of carbenium ions to olefins give polymers. Such a reaction is used in industry, for example, in the cationic polymerization of isobutene (Figure 3.43). One of the rare cases of an intermolecular carbenium ion addition to an olefin without polymer formation occurs in the industrial synthesis of isooctane (Figure 3.44). 

Fig. 3.44. Carbenium ion addition to isobutene as a partial step in the Ipatiev synthesis of isooctane. The upper line shows the overall reaction.

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