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Chlorination of 2-tert-butylphenol; 2-tert-butyl-4-chlorophenol

SyntheticPage 672
DOI: 10.1039/SP672
Submitted Jul 26, 2013, published Aug 29, 2013
Giles W. Theaker (g.w.theaker@warwick.ac.uk), Pratik Gurnani (pratik.gurnani@warwick.ac.uk)
A contribution from Scott group, Warwick University


			Reaction Scheme: <img src="/images/empty.gif" alt="" />Chlorination of <span id="csm1378474684982" class="csm-chemical-name" title="2-tert-butylphenol">2-<em>tert-</em>butylphenol</span><img src="/images/empty.gif" alt="" />

Chemicals Used

2-tert-butylphenol (Aldrich)
Diphenylsulfide (Aldrich)
Aluminium trichloride (Aldrich)
Sulfuryl chloride (Aldrich)

Procedure

Diphenylsulfide (0.09 ml, 0.10 g, 0.54 mmol) and AlCl3 (0.10 g, 0.75 mmol) were dissolved in 2-tert-butylphenol (15.35 ml, 15.02 g, 0.10 mol) in a three neck round bottom flask, under nitrogen flow. The flask outlet was fitted with a sat. NaOH(aq) scrubber. The solution was cooled in an ice bath, and sulfuryl chloride (7.97 ml, 13.4 g, 0.10 mol) was added dropwise over ca 40 min. The solution became yellow, then red, and was stirred at ambient temperature overnight. The solution was concentrated and purified by vacuum distillation using a 12 cm Vigreux column. Fraction results summarised below.

Fraction

Stillhead temperature

Heating   block temperature

r.f    (hexane / diethyl ether 20:1)

Assignment by 1H NMR

1

40-46

60-110

0.41

ortho

2

50-80

120-170

0.12/0.41

mixture

3

80-90

180-190

0.12

para

All products were clear oils. Fraction 2 was further purified by column chromatography (hexane/diethyl ether 20:1). Overall yield of ortho isomer = 7.49 g, 40 %; para isomer = 9.40 g, 51 %.

Author's Comments

Worked well however this reaction is not selective and will give you the ortho and para isomer. The NMR spectrum for the para isomer is below

Data

1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): 7.22 (1H, d, 4J = 2 Hz, Hc), 7.02 (1H, dd, 4J = 2 Hz, 3J = 8 Hz, Hb), 6.59 (1H, d, 3J = 8 Hz, Ha), 4.78 (1H, s, OH), 1.39 (9H, s, tBu).


Lead Reference

G. W. Theaker, C. Morton and P. Scott, Dalton Trans., 2008, 6883-6885. http://dx.doi.org/10.1039/b818829g

Other References

W. D. Watson, J. Org. Chem., 1985, 50, 2145-2148.
http://dx.doi.org/10.1021/jo00212a029

Supplementary Information

Click to open interactive 1H NMR spectrum
1H NMR (1H NMR.jcamp)

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Keywords: addition, alcohols, aromatics/arenes, chlorination, electrophilic, sulphides