Synlett 2023; 34(06): 629-634
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1751376
cluster
Chemical Synthesis and Catalysis in India

Lewis Acid Promoted Homodimerization of Styrene Diols: An Efficient Approach toward 2-Phenylnaphthalenes

Rina Mahato
,
Jabir Khan
,
Aparna Tyagi
,
Chinmoy Kumar Hazra
The authors thank the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), New Delhi, India, for financial support in the form of a Start-up Research Grant (File No.: SRG/2019/000213). They also thank IIT Delhi, New Delhi, for the institute’s seed grant money. R.M., J.K., and A.T. are grateful to CSIR/UGC (MHRD), India, for their research fellowships.


Abstract

We report a straightforward, metal-free, efficient protocol for the synthesis of 2-phenylnaphthalenes from 1-phenylethane-1,2-diols under mild conditions. In this strategy, 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexafluoro-2-propanol is used as a solvent that stabilizes the reaction intermediate. An in situ IR experiment revealed that the reaction proceeds through the formation of phenylacetaldehyde followed by a [4+2] Diels–Alder reaction. Several control experiments were performed to gain mechanistic insights into the reaction.

Supporting Information



Publication History

Received: 09 May 2022

Accepted after revision: 26 September 2022

Article published online:
19 October 2022

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