Sulfuric Acid → 2-Benzyltoluene

Participants

Reaction Steps

470 parts of benzene are emulsified in a mixture of 200 parts of boron fluoride-phosphoric acid (containing 90 parts of boron fluoride in 110 parts of phosphoric acid) and 200 parts of sulfuric acid (85% strength by weight) by stirring thoroughly. A solution of 140 parts of o-xylyl chloride in 470 parts of benzene is added at from 75° to 80° C in the course of 2 hours. The reaction mixture is stirred for a further 5 hours at from 75° to 80° C and the organic phase is then separated off. 167 parts (91.8% of theory) of o-benzyltoluene (nD25 : 1.5739) are isolated by fractional distillation at from 98° to 100° C at 0.2 mm Hg.

Provenance & Evidence