Xylenes Friedel-Crafts reaction

Among the wide variety of organic reactions in which zeolites have been employed as catalysts, may be emphasized the transformations of aromatic hydrocarbons of importance in petrochemistry, and in the synthesis of intermediates for pharmaceutical or fragrance products.5 In particular, Friede 1-Crafts acylation and alkylation over zeolites have been widely used for the synthesis of fine chemicals.6 Insights into the mechanism of aromatic acylation over zeolites have been disclosed.7 The production of ethylbenzene from benzene and ethylene, catalyzed by HZSM-5 zeolite and developed by the Mobil-Badger Company, was the first commercialized industrial process for aromatic alkylation over zeolites.8 Other typical examples of zeolite-mediated Friedel-Crafts reactions are the regioselective formation of p-xylene by alkylation of toluene with methanol over HZSM-5,9 or the regioselective p-acylation of toluene with acetic anhydride over HBEA zeolites.10 In both transformations, the p-isomers are obtained in nearly quantitative yield. 

The reaction of various A-tosylated a-amino acids (94) with benzene in concentrated sulfuric acid yielded diphenyl derivatives (95)." The mechanism proposed for the reaction (Scheme 9) involves initial protonation of the carboxyl group to give (96), which suffers decarbonylation to the A-tosyliminium salt (97). This reactive electrophile (97) interacts with benzene to give a monophenyl compound (98) which, via a Friedel-Crafts reaction, interacts with another molecule of benzene to yield the diphenyl compound (95)." Toluene and p-xylene reacted analogously to yield diarylated products. 

Unsaturated 5(4H)-oxazolones undergo a Friedel-Crafts reaction with aromatic hydrocarbons in the presence of a Lewis acid. In particular, a 2-aryl-4-benzylidene-5(4H)-oxazolone 598 reacts with o- or p-xylene in the presence of aluminum chloride via ring opening and subsequent dearylation to yield 599 as indicated in Scheme 7.191. ... 

In a substituted aromatic solvent (e.g., m-xylene), the acid chlorides (96, X = Cl) exclusively give the intermolecular Friedel-Crafts reaction, leading to ketones (99, Ar = ra-xylyl).240... 

An account is given of exotherm and foaming consequent upon adding the acid to a waste solvent drum materials known to be present were xylene and and butyl chloride [1]. Sulfuric acid would catalyse the Friedel Crafts reaction of these, evolving hydrogen chloride, though immiscibility means a delay might be expected and reaction seems to have been immediate [2]. 

The synthesis of fluotrimazole starts from m-xylene. Peroxide catalyzed perchlorination converts this to m-trichloromethyl-benzo-trichloride. m-Trichloromethyl-benzotrifluoride is then obtained by selective chlorine/fluorine exchange. This key product is also readily accessible on a technical scale by conproportionation of the two corresponding m-trihalomethyl-benzotrihalogenides. Friedel-Crafts reaction with benzene leads to trifluoromethyl-tritylchloride, which reacts smoothly with 1,2,4-triazole in polar solvents to give fluotrimazole. 

Phenone is produced by the acetylation of benzyl chloride with o-xylene via a Friedel-Crafts reaction. Table 1.1 presents the elements of the material balance. Calculate the efficiency of raw materials. 

Many di- and poly-alkylated benzenes have been prepared by the Friedel-Crafts reaction. Alkyl groups on the nucleus do not exert a strong directive influence upon the orientation, nor do they greatly affect the rate of further alkylation. The composition of the alkylated product varies widely, depending upon the conditions of the reaction. Appreciable quantities of m-dialkylated and sywz-trialkylated products are obtained under vigorous conditions. The composition of many products is in doubt, as has been shown by later, more accurate analyses. Methylation of xylene gives 1,2,4,5-tetramethylbenzene (durene), pentamethylbenzene, and hexamethylbenzene. ... 

Friedel-Crafts aeylatwn. Substitution of nitroethane for the less volatile nitrobenzene in the Friedel Crafts reaction of / -xylene with methylsuccinic anhydride... 

A four-step synthesis may be considered by linking together the Friedel-Crafts reaction with the synthesis of a chalcone (Experiment 61) and then preparing an epoxide (Experiment 62) from the chalcone and/or a cyclopropanated chalcone (Experiment 63). It is likely that the Friedel-Crafts reaction should produce enough acylated product for the reactions that follow. If you choose to link together the chalcone synthesis followed by epoxidation and cyclopropanation, it is suggested that you choose to prepare the acetyl derivatives of toluene, p-xylene, mesitylene, or anisole and use one of the recommended aldehydes shown in the following table to make the chalcone in Experiment 61. 

The presence of excessive amounts of water in the form of a separate water phase will in many cases increase solvent-induced corrosion of metals. The presence of low molecular weight alcohols added to 1,1,1-Tri can cause increased metal corrosion [2-4]. The presence of aromatic hydrocarbons (e.g., toluene or xylene) in methylene chloride formulations in contact with aluminum can cause catastrophic release of gaseous hydrogen chloride. The trace amounts of aluminum chloride produced by the normally very slow aluminum-solvent reaction acts as a catalyst for the Friedel-Crafts reaction between the aromatic hydrocarbon and methylene chloride. The resultant reaction produces hydrogen chloride which reacts with aluminum to give more aluminum chloride and resulting in a runaway autocatalytic reaction. The addition of an acid... 

Regioselective Friedel-Crafts reaction with unsymmetrical alkynes was reported. A reaction of phenylacetylene with p-xylene afforded gem-diarylethylene (71) selectively (Equation 30) [35]. Zirconium triflate showed much higher catalytic activity than that of chloride. Hf-catalyzed reaction of benzene with 1-phenylpropane in ionic liquid produced 1,1-diphenylpropene (72) in excellent yield with excellent regioselectivity (Equation 31) [36]. 

Sb(0S02CF3)3 has been reported as Lewis catalyst for reactions requiring traces of water. Benzoylation of toluene, acylation of m-xylene, and sulfonylation of toluene were examples demonstrating its role in Friedel-Crafts reactions [26]. Also, catalytic amount of Sb(OTf)3 catalyzed the reaction of 2-methoxynaphthalene with acetic anhydride in nitromethane-lithium perchlorate to afford 2-acetyl-6-methoxynaphthalene, a well-known intermediate for the synthesis of naproxen, in a high yield [27]. 

The ability of iron(III) chloride genuinely to catalyze Friedel-Crafts acylation reactions has also been recognized by Holderich and co-workers [97]. By immobilizing the ionic liquid [BMIM]Cl/FeCl3 on a solid support, Holderich was able to acetylate mesitylene, anisole, and m-xylene with acetyl chloride in excellent yield. The performance of the iron-based ionic liquid was then compared with that of the corresponding chlorostannate(II) and chloroaluminate(III) ionic liquids. The results are given in Scheme 5.1-67 and Table 5.1-5. As can be seen, the iron catalyst gave superior results to the aluminium- or tin-based catalysts. The reactions were also carried out in the gas phase at between 200 and 300 °C. The acetylation reac-... 

Similar treatment of a trifluoroacetic acid solution of p-tolualdehyde with triethylsilane gives only a 20% yield of /7-xylene after 11 hours reaction time followed by basic workup. Use of 2.5 equivalents of dimethylphenylsilane enhances the yield to 52% after only 15 minutes. This reaction proceeds stepwise through the formation of a mixture of the trifluoroacetate and the symmetrical ether. These intermediates slowly form the desired /7-xylene product along with Friedel-Crafts side products under the reaction conditions (Eq. 192).73 Addition of co-solvents such as carbon tetrachloride or nitromethane helps reduce the amount of the Friedel-Crafts side products.73... 

Anthraquinone itself is traditionally available from the anthracene of coal tar by oxidation, often with chromic acid or nitric acid a more modern alternative method is that of air oxidation using vanadium(V) oxide as catalyst. Anthraquinone is also produced in the reaction of benzene with benzene-1,2-dicarboxylic anhydride (6.4 phthalic anhydride) using a Lewis acid catalyst, typically aluminium chloride. This Friedel-Crafts acylation gives o-benzoylbenzoic acid (6.5) which undergoes cyclodehydration when heated in concentrated sulphuric acid (Scheme 6.2). Phthalic anhydride is readily available from naphthalene or from 1,2-dimethylbenzene (o-xylene) by catalytic air oxidation. 

The addition of BF3 OEt2 to a solution containing Ph3BiF2, allyltrimethylsilane and excess arenes induces a Friedel-Crafts-type allylation at low temperatures to yield allylarenes [36]. Benzene, toluene, anisole, p-xylene, and p-dimethoxyben-zene were all allylated with ease to give the corresponding allylation products, although diallylation could not be suppressed in the reaction with electron-rich... 

Transalkylation and Dealkylation. In addition to isomerizations (side-chain rearrangement and positional isomerization), transalkylation (disproportionation) [Eq. (5.56)] and dealkylation [Eq. (5.57)] are side reactions during Friedel-Crafts alkylation however, they can be brought about as significant selective hydrocarbon transformations under appropriate conditions. Transalkylation (disproportionation) is of great practical importance in the manufacture of benzene and xylenes (see Section 5.5.4) ... 

Solid Catalysts. Nafion-H is an active catalyst for acylation with aroyl halides and anhydrides.60,61 The reaction is carried out at the boiling point of the aromatic hydrocarbons. Yields with benzoyl chloride using 10-30% Nafion-H for benzene, toluene, and p-xylene are 14%, 85% and 82%, respectively. Attempted acylation with acetyl chloride, however, led to HC1 evolution and ketene formation. Nation resin-silica nanocomposite materials containing a dispersed form of the resin within silica exhibits significantly enhanced activity in Friedel-Crafts acylations.62,63... 

Further complications arise from the fact that the alkylation reactions sometimes are under equilibrium control rather than kinetic control. Products often isomerize and disproportionate, particularly in the presence of large amounts of catalyst. Thus 1,2- and 1,4-dimethylbenzenes (ortho- and para-xylenes) are converted by large amounts of Friedel-Crafts catalysts into 1,3-dimethyl-benzene (meta-xylene) ... 

Olah and co-workers219 have applied Nafion-H in the benzylation of benzene with benzyl alcohols [Eq. (5.83)] and also reported the reaction of benzyl alcohol with substituted aromatics (toluene, xylenes, mesitylene) to yield diphenylmethanes. The reaction is performed under mild conditions and produces the corresponding dibenzyl ethers as byproducts (2-22%). The substrate and positional selectivity in competitive benzylation of benzene and toluene (1 1 molar ratio) was found to be almost the same as observed in solution-phase Friedel-Crafts benzylation with benzyl chloride (AICI3-CH3NO2). Cyclic products 56 and 57 resulting from cyclialkylation were isolated when Nafion-H-catalyzed benzylation was applied to 2-(hydroxymethyl) diphenylmethane and 3,4-dimethoxybenzyl alcohol, respectively. 

Friedel-Crafts alkylation of benzene,220 221 toluene,222para-xylene,220 and naphthalene223 with benzyl alcohols have been studied over Nafion-silica nano-composite catalysts, including the kinetics of alkylation.221,223 In most cases, 13% Nafion-silica showed the highest activity, testifying again to the much higher accessibility of the active sites. Complete conversion of para-xylene was found in the presence of triflic acid, and it was the only reaction when ether formation as side reaction did not occur. 

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