Phosphoric Acid → 1-Methyl-3-phenylindane

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 90 parts of styrene, 217 parts of o-chlorostyrene and 83 parts of o-chloroethylbenzene is added to 722 parts of 94 per cent strength by weight phosphoric acid at 35° to 40° C over 5 hours, whilst stirring vigorously. The mixture is then stirred for a further 2 hours at 35° to 40° C and the organic phase is separated off and washed with 200 parts of 3 per cent strength by weight sodium hydroxide solution. Fractional distillation gives 31 parts of 1-methyl-3-phenylindan and 140 parts of 1-methyl-3-(o-chloro)-phenylindan (b.p. 165° to 168° C (10 mm), nD25 : 1.5890).

Provenance & Evidence