Phosphoric Acid → 1-Methyl-3-phenylindane

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

1 part of phenothiazine is added to 375 parts by volume of phosphoric acid (95% strength by weight) at 25° C, in a stirred vessel. The mixture is irradiated for 10 minutes with a mercury vapor lamp (15 watt hours per kilogram of styrene II and III) whilst passing 2,000 parts of air through it. A mixture of 52 parts of styrene, 78 parts of o-chlorostyrene and 42 parts of o-chloroethylbenzene is then added to the irradiated solution over 3 hours at a temperature of 38° C. After completion of the addition, the mixture is stirred for a further hour at 38° C. The organic phase is separated off, washed with 200 parts of 5 per cent strength by weight sodium hydroxide solution and fractionated. 13.8 parts of 1-methyl-3-phenylindan (b.p. 145° to 146° C (10 mm)), 85 parts of 1-methyl-3-(o-chloro)-phenylindan (b.p. 165° to 168° C (10 mm), nD25 : 1.5890) and 5 parts of 1-methyl-3-(o-chloro)-phenyl-7-chloroindan (b.p. 195° to 200° C (10 mm)) are isolated.

Provenance & Evidence