Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Competition between birch reduction and bond cleavage in 1,2-bis(4-methyl-1-naphthyl)ethane

Journal Article · · Journal of Organic Chemistry; (USA)
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1021/jo00276a020· OSTI ID:7071576
; ;  [1]
  1. Indiana Univ.-Purdue Univ., Indianapolis (USA)

The reaction of 1,2-bis(4-methyl-1-naphthyl)ethane with Li, Na, and K in ammonia, THF, and HMPA, or mixtures thereof, has been examined with respect to the factors favoring Birch reduction of the aromatic ring and cleavage of the ethane carbon-carbon bond. Bond cleavage was found to increase relative to ring reduction in the series Li < Na < K and with the solvents NH{sub 3} < THF < HMPA. However, the latter position of ammonia may be due to the necessarily restricted low-reaction temperature since only ring reduction was observed at temperatures at or below the boiling point of ammonia (-33{degree}C). A number of reduction and cleavage products were isolated and identified, and the mechanistic pathways for their formation is discussed.

OSTI ID:
7071576
Journal Information:
Journal of Organic Chemistry; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Organic Chemistry; (USA) Vol. 54:15; ISSN 0022-3263; ISSN JOCEA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English