Toluene → p-METHYLACETOPHENONE

Participants

Reaction Steps

Anhydrous aluminum chloride (89.6 g, 0.67 mol) was added to a solution of toluene (28.5 g, 0.3 μmol) in 120 mL of dry carbon disulfide. The mixture was heated to reflux and acetic anhydride (24.5 g, 0.24 mol) was added over one hour. Heating was continued for an additional hour. The solvent was removed by distillation. The reaction mixture was cooled and slowly poured into a well-stirred mixture of ice and hydrochloric acid. The mixture was extracted several times with ether. The combined extracts were washed with water and 10% sodium hydroxide, dried over calcium chloride, filtered, and the solvent was removed. Distillation gave the desired product 1-p-tolyl-ethanone (27.08 g). 1H NMR (300 MHz, DMSO-d6) δ 2.36 (s, 3H), 2.50 (s, 3H), 7.32 (d, 2H), 7.85 (d, 2H); EI-MS (M+): 134.

Provenance & Evidence