Electrophilic substitution by a phenonium ion derived from 1-chloro-2,3-dimethylbenzene: arylation of mesitylene and formation of a biphenyl

Abstract

Reaction of 1-chloro-2,3-dimethylbenzene with nitric acid in acetic anhydride gives 3-chloro-4,5-dimethyl-4-nitro-1,4-dihydrophenyl acetate; the adduct reacts with mesitylene in the presence of trifluoroacetic acid to form 3′-chloro-2,4,4′,5′,6-pentamethylbiphenyl.