Phosphoric Acid → 1-Methyl-3-phenylindane

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A mixture of 90 parts of styrene, 234 parts of p-chlorostyrene and 66 parts of p-chloroethylbenzene is added to 722 parts of 93 per cent strength by weight phosphoric acid at 35° to 40° C over 5 hours. After a further 2 hours at 35° to 40° C the organic phase is separated off and washed with 200 parts of 3 per cent strength by weight sodium hydroxide solution. Fractional distillation gives 16 parts of 1-methyl-3-phenylindan, 78 parts of 1-methyl-3-(p-chloro)-phenylindan (b.p. 166° to 170° C (10 mm), nD25 : 1.5869) and 13 parts of 1-methyl-3-(p-chloro)-phenyl-5-chloroindan (b.p. 197° to 204° C (10 mm)).

Provenance & Evidence