Benzene → Octylbenzene

Participants

Reaction Steps

The alkylation of benzene with oct-1-ene. The reaction gave a 70% yield (by GC) of three isomers of octylbenzene. The isomer ratio was determined to be 0.75:1.00:2.03, with the 4-phenyloctene as the major product and 2-phenyloctene as the minor product. During the course of the reaction, isomeration of oct-1-ene to a number of isomers of octene was observed, and the rate of this isomerisation process was considerably faster that the alkylation reaction. It was found that the ionic liquid/catalyst combination remained active on a second run. To confirm that the minor product of the reaction was an octene dimer, the same reaction was performed, but without any benzene present (shown below).

Provenance & Evidence