Benzene → 1,4-Dibenzoylbenzene

Reaction equation

[Cl-].[Al+3].[Cl-].[Cl-].[C:5](Cl)(=[O:15])[C:6]1[CH:14]=[CH:13][C:9]([C:10](Cl)=[O:11])=[CH:8][CH:7]=1.O.[CH:18]1[CH:23]=[CH:22][CH:21]=[CH:20][CH:19]=1>>[C:5]([C:6]1[CH:14]=[CH:13][C:9]([C:10](=[O:11])[C:6]2[CH:14]=[CH:13][CH:9]=[CH:8][CH:7]=2)=[CH:8][CH:7]=1)(=[O:15])[C:18]1[CH:23]=[CH:22][CH:21]=[CH:20][CH:19]=1

Participants

Reactant 4

HCID 241Benzene2×

HCID 962Water

HCID 7488Terephthaloyl chloride

HCID 6451240Aluminum(III) Chloride

Product 1

HCID 763951,4-Dibenzoylbenzene

Procedure

To a stirred slurry of 50 g of aluminium chloride in 150 ml of benzene under reflux was added dropwise 40 g of terephthaloyl chloride dissolved in 250 ml of benzene. When the addition was complete the reaction was refluxed for 15 minutes, and 250 ml of water was added slowly. The benzene layer was separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with methylene chloride (2×300 ml). The combined orgainic layers were washed with 1m NaOH solution (2×400 ml) and water (400 ml), dried (MgSO4), filtered, and the solvents were removed under reduced pressure to give a nearly colorless solid. Recrystallization from 95% ethanol gave 46.8 g of colorless 1,4-dibenzoylbenzene, m.p. 160°-162°.