Friedel-Crafts Alkylation

This Lewis acid-catalyzed electrophilic aromatic substitution allows the synthesis of alkylated products via the reaction of arenes with alkyl halides or alkenes. Since alkyl substituents activate the arene substrate, polyalkylation may occur. A valuable, two-step alternative is Friedel-Crafts Acylation followed by a carbonyl reduction.

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Mechanism

Using alkenes :

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Recent Literature

Dicationic Electrophiles from Olefinic Amines in Superacid
Y. Zhang, A. McElrea, G. V. Sanchez, D. Do, A. Gomez, S. L . Aguirre, R. Rendy, D. A. Klumpp, J. Org. Chem., 2003, 68, 5119-5122.