HYDROGEN TRANSFER-REACTIONS OF ARENES IN MOLTEN ANTIMONY-TRICHLORIDE

The reactions of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in molten antimony trichloride at temperatures from 80 to 175 °C have been studied by in situ 1H NMR and quench and separation techniques. Decomposition takes place by a complex series of hydrogen redistribution reactions whose net effect is a disproportionation of a type not previously known to occur. The reaction of anthracene (I) was studied in detail. Some of the anthracene molecules lose aryl-bound hydrogen and are condensed into larger molecules with aryl-aryl bonds such as the asymmetric bianthracenes (IV, V, and VI) and anthraaceanthrylenes (VII and VIII). The hydrogen released by these reactions is quantitatively captured by other anthracene molecules to form hydroaromatic molecules such as the 9, 10-dihydro-and 1, 2, 3, 4-tetrahydroanthracenes (il and 111). The catalytic role of the solvent's Lewis acidity was demonstrated by the fact that the addition of a few mol % of a strong chloride donor reduced the reaction rates by a large factor. The reaction behavior of a group of related arenes (naphthalene, phenanthrene, chrysene, pyrene, perylene, and naphthacene) of widely varying basicity and oxidizability was also surveyed. © 1979, American Chemical Society. All rights reserved.