THE FRAGMENTATION OF 2,3, 4-TRIMETHYL- 2-PEN TAN OL WHEN CONDENSED WITH BENZENE AND ALSO WITH PHENOL IN THE PRESENCE OF ALUMINUM GHLORILE by REINHOLD JOHN HRANTZ A THESIS Submitted to the Graduate School of Michigan State College of Agriculture and Applied Science in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of DOCTOR OF PHILOSOPHY Department of Chemistry 1947 ProQuest Number: 10008357 All rights reserved INFORMATION TO ALL USERS The quality of this reproduction is dependent upon the quality of the copy submitted. In the unlikely event that the author did not send a complete manuscript and there are missing pages, these will be noted. Also, if material had to be removed, a note will indicate the deletion. uest ProQuest 10008357 Published by ProQuest LLC (2016). Copyright of the Dissertation is held by the Author. All rights reserved. This work is protected against unauthorized copying under Title 17, United States Code Microform Edition © ProQuest LLC. ProQuest LLC. 789 East Eisenhower Parkway P.O. Box 1346 Ann Arbor, Ml 48106 -1 346 ACKNOWLEDGMENT To Dean Ralph. C. Huston the author extends his appre­ ciation for the suggestions and inspiration which helped bring about this work. 331648 INTRODUCTION 1h the study of the condensation, in the presence of aluminum chloride# of each of the saturated aliphatic ter­ tiary alcohols through the eight-carbon earbiaols with aromatic nuclei• chiefly benaene and phenol# it was ob­ served by Huston and coworker® (1) that smaller than ex­ pected yields were obtained in certain highly branched alcohols* This was attributed to the marked depressing influence on the condensing capability of those carbinols in which there was an accumulation of alkyl groups on the carbon a t m adjacent to the hydroxyl carbon* JPagmentatlon studies by Huston and Awuapara (2)# Huston and Barrett (3)» and Huston and Van Vpkm (4) and resulting isolation of tertiary butylbenssne have led to the belief that low yields of expected condensates are due to fragmentation rather than depressive influence on the condensing capability of the alcohol* In 1938 Guile (23) condensed 2 f3#4-trim©thyl-2pentanol with benaene in order to prove the structure of his octylphenol obtained from condensing the same car bi­ n d with phenol* He obtained none of the ootylbensene since he used only 0*125 moles of earbinel* The purpose of this investigation is to continue the study of the fragmentation of 2#3#4-trimethyl-2pentamol when condensed with benssne and also with phenol la the presence of aluminum chloride* HISTORY Because of the extensive work which has been done In thie laboratory on alkylation of aromatic nuclei in the presence of aluminum chloride or other catalysts many excellent reviews (5,6) of the work have been given in theses here* In addition, more comprehensive reviews such as those by Kranzlein (7) and Thomas (8) or the re­ cent one by Price (9) are available on the subject of aluminum chloride#s role in organic chemistry and the theory of the Friedel-Craft reaction in general* The purpose of this summary is to give a background for the discussion of fragmentation and group migration by especially calling attention to reactions in which the alpha carbon to the hydroxyl carbon of a tertiary alcohol contains an alkyl group (methyl)* The preparation of alkyl benzenes and phenols has been under investigation in this laboratory since Huston and iViedeman (10) repeated the work of Nef (11) to obtaih a thirty per cent yield of diphenylmethane from the condensation of benzyl alcohol with benzene in the pre­ sence of aluminum chloride* That primary alcohols condensed with benzene gave no yields was shown by Huston and Sager (12), or poor yields with large amounts of aluminum chloride at elevated temper­ atures was portrayed by Norris and Sturgis (13), The latter showed that the reaction of alcohols and aromatic nuclei wee & function of the quantity of aluminum chloride and temperature ae Tzukervaaic and Nazarova (14) had previously determined# especially in regard to condensa­ tion of secondary alcohols* They (15) also obtained 60- 70# yields in the condensation of tertiary butyl and tertiary amyl alcohols with phenol* Secondary alcohols (5) give better yields of alkyl benzene than the primary# and tertiary alcohols than the secondary (I)* primary The tendency for rearrangements is secondary — * tertiary* This was first ob­ served by Oustavson (16) only a year after the announcement of the Vriedel-Crafts reaction* He found that normal propyl and Isopropyl bromides react with benzene in the presence of aluminum chloride to form the same substance isopropylbensene (cumene)* This was later corroborated by ether workers (17# 18# 19)* Condensing normal butyl chloride with benzene gives only the secondary product (20)* it is of peculiar inter­ est that in 1899 Konovalov and Je&orov (21) Isolated tertiary assy1 benzene in addition to the secondary product when condensing 2-®ethy 1-3-chlorobutane with benzene in the presence of aluminum chloride* But mere significant than mere isomerization and rearrange­ ment to the more stable secondary and tertiary alkyl groups is the degradation or fragmentation of various higher tertiary alcohols when condensed with benzene under mild conditions* This was observed in a paper by Huston, Guile, Sculati and Cbsson (22) in 1941. law yields were obtained when 2,4,4- trimethyl-2-pentanol and 2,3,3-trimethyl-2-penta»ol were condensed with benzene. It was observed in the same paper that the condensation of 2, 3,4-trimethyl~2-pentanol with benzene gave no octylbenzene, but only lower molecular weight products* A condensation of the same carbinol with phenol (23) gave a very low yield* Since condensations with phenol usually give larger yields than with benzene under similar conditions this observation was of peculiar interest* At reduced temperatures (22) degradation was diminish­ ed and Increased yields of the expected alkylbenzenes were obtained* The yield of alkylbenzene and degradation is a function of the amount of aluminum chloride used (24). Ihen the alcohols subject to fragmentation are con­ densed with phenol there is less tendency to isomerise or degrade (23) than when condensed with benzene* However, t-butylphenol was obtained by Breiter when he eondensed 2,3,3-trimethyl-2-pentanol and 2,2,3-trlmethyl-3-pentanol with phenol* Although it is not ‘reported, it is probable that some t-butylphenol is formed when 2,4,4-trimethyl-2pentanol is eondensed with phenol, smith and Hodden (26) have shown that 2,4,4-trimethyl-2-p-hydroxyphenylpentane rearranges in the presence of aluminum chloride to tbutylphenol under special conditions* In the table below are listed some of the aleohols ehieh have the greatest tendency to undergo fragmentation, tertiary butylbenzene was reported as a product in each ease when the alcohol was condensed with benzene in the presence of aluminum chloride. also reported in 1,2, and 3. Tertiary amylbenzene was Also there were various other fragmentation produets such as methyl chloride in 4 and 6 and isopropyl chloride in 4. In the fragmentations in each case some fractions were almost infinitesimal so that perhaps some frag­ ments could have been overlooked in the final analysis. c o h x m iS A iio ^ s w ith alcohol mnzm^ fragments - reference 1. 2 f3*dimethy1-2-butanol t-butyl & t-aaylbenaene (4) 2. 2,3-dimethyl-2~pentanol t-butyl & t-amylbensene (4) 3. 2,3,3-trimethyl-S-butanol t-butyl & t-amylbensene $i) 4. 2 f3,3-trimetbyI-2~p©ntanol t-butylbensene* isopropyl chloride & methyl chloride (4) 5. 2,4,4*trimethyl-2~pentanol t-butylbenzene (1) t-butylbenzene & methyl chloride (4) t-butyl benzene (2) 6. 2,2,3-trimethyl-3*pentanol * 7. 2t3,4-trlmethyl*3-pentanol To avoid this in working with alcohol number 3, Barrett made his final fractionation In a 100-plate column. In the organic layer analysis he identified eleven fractions including the two mentioned above plus a hexyl- and a heptylbenzene. Two styrene derivatives were also found in small amounts* Awuapara shewed that whereas he obtained nearly fifty per cent yield of t~butlybenzene from alcohol number 7 in which a methyl radical must migrate# with 2#4~di®ethyl-3-etbyX-3-pentanol# a very small yield of t-butyl- and t-amylbenzene was obtained since their formation necessitates the migration of an ethyl group* The most successful alkylating agents are the alkyl halides* olefins and alcohols* She first two mentioned need only catalytic amounts of aluminum chloride* while a greater amount (13) is required with alcohols because % Htgs + £L §t*C1 of the reaction between aluminum and the alcohol* Smith (24) has shown that larger amounts of aluminum chloride increase the yield of al^latioa* Using halides* alcohols* ethers and esters alkyla* :tion procee&smo&t readily for- tertiary or bortryl types* less readily for secondary types* still lees readily for primary types* and least readily for methyl* Thus* reactive halides such as benny! chloride (9) will react with benzene in the presence of traces of such a weak catalyst as zinc chloride* whereas ass inert halide* lilce methyl chloride requires a considerable quantify of a powerful catalyst such as aluminum chloride* In general there are three possible mechanisms for explaining the reaction* although according to a review (35) of the yriedel*Craft& synthesis by Calloway there is no completely satisfactory explanation of the alkylation of benzene by various alkylating agents* The three possible mechanisms are as follows? 1* Alkyl halide formation plus Friedel-Crafts reaction* 3* Alkene formation plus condensation* 3* Cationoid theory* Tsukervanik (34) championed the first mechanism for the alkylation of benzene with aliphatic alcohols in the presence of aluminum chloride. These are the steps h# proposed? 1 * ch3 HgC-OH ♦ A1C1 3 «*■»-» ch* EgO-DAlClg CHj* 3* HgC^CHg * HC1 *f R^G^GHg ♦ HgGOHg Cl 4 A1 (OH) Gig Morris and Sturgis (13) have proposed a similar mechanism with essentially the same steps showing alkyl chloride formation as an intermediary step in the alkylation of benzene with alcohols. McKenna and Sows, (56t3¥) have suggested olefins as Intermediates to help explain rearrangements during alkylation. CHgOHgCHgBr A1CX»» (C3H6 ) C!HjOHCHjj (03H6 ) * c6h6 > ch3chch3 °6% Whitmore’s (6it) theory of molecular rearrangements could account for the came isomerization during alkylation by the following steps CHgCHgCB^Cl * 3 AIC13 — » 0HgCAgCH^ AlCl" To exclude the theory of an olefin as an intermediate is the fact that both benzyl alcohol (10) and benzhydrol (38) are effective alkylating agents and Intermediate olefin formation is impossible* The most modern and generally accepted theory is the one outlined by price (27)# According to Price the substi­ tution in benzeneid compounds Involves the replacement of a hydrogen atom by an electron deficient cationoid reagent* B That the above equation is reversible has been shown by Ipatieff and Corson (28) by readily converting p-di-'t*butylbenzene In benzene solution to t-butylbenzene in the presence of a catalyst* However the catalysts will remove only tertiary alkyl groups unless vigorous catalysis with aluminum chloride is effected (29,30*31). The relative ease of the lees of the proton to form the intermediate above Is dependent upon the tenacity with whleh the group R will retain electrons it shares with the substituent group* hydroxyl* chloride# etc* i. It has been already mentioned (32*33) that the order of electronegativity is primary > secondary > tertiary. Hf BC t X H secondary H H0*X B primary B* BC R f1 tertiary The X group could be any substituent group* hydroxyl* halogen* or benzenoid ring. If benzenoid ring it explains why the tertiary is the only group which will be removed by catalysis above. Thus according to the oationoid theory the steps involved in the alkylation of the benzene ring by 2*3*4* triaethyl* 2 *pentanol are theses 4H 4 CH3 CH3 CH3 H Cl C%C~C~C iJJiAl*Cl H H CH3 Cl AlCl* CHS CH^CH^CHrz GH#C -C *C+ H H CH 4 B Cl tOi&lsCl " SI The carbonium ion then reacts with the activated benzene suel.ua. H CH. CH. CH. C5£_**C - C - C+H ” H ” a H CB* OS* GH^ -a * 0 * c-m* ch3 H t ai% H H 0 H C% CH3 0% C - C * C *GH3 QH3 H h+ H H That the above reaction takes place only to a small degree due to the instability of the ootyl ©arboniua ion will be shoen under the experimental and discussion parts of this thesis* I. Preparation of S,3*4*trtmethyI-3-pentanoI The only reference to this alcohol in literature arose from work in this laboratory by Huston and Guile (25)* They prepared the alcohol from 3,4-dimethyl-2- pentanone* This ketone was in turn obtained by treating the Griguard reagent of 2-me thy1-3-bromobutane with aeetyl chloride* An overall yield of about 0 $ based on the alkyl halide resulted* In order to secure a larger percentage yield the writer attempted other methods of preparation. The first of these made use of the malonie ester synthesis* Two starting-point material© were used, chloroacetic acid and student preparation diethyl raalon&te* The diethyl maleaate was redistilled from a modified Claisen flask with a Vigreux column; at S9-900/13 mm, was collected* the portion boiling The method of prepar­ ation of diethyl isopropylmalon&te was an adaption of that in ’’Organic Syntheses* (39). Preparation of diethyl ieopropylmalenat? In a five liter 3-necked flask, fitted with reflux condenser, separatory funnel and stirrer, was placed 2.8 liters of absolute alcohol. This alcohol was made especially absolute (99*9$) by drying ordinary absolute alcohol (98*5*99.5$) obtained from the stockroom over magnesium methylate* The magnesium methylate m s prepared by dissolving 24 g* of magnesium turnings in 200 ec* of absolute methanol (a very vigorous reaction sets in)* ms To this eleohol&te added three liters of absolute alcohol and the mixture refluxed 4-5 hours* Ihe alcohol m s then distilled di­ rectly into the 3-neck©d flask mentioned above until it reached a predetermined 2*8 llhlle the alcohol m s liter mark* distilling, 105 g* (5 gram atoms) of freshly cut sodium m e added to the distillate with ears and artificial cooling applied to the flask* Ihen the sodium had all reacted 82b g» (780 ec.f 5*15 moles) of m&lox&ie ester was added through the separatory funnel* Hext the isopropyl bromide 515 g* (5*0 moles) was added slowly ttoo ugh the separatory funnel and the temperature of the mixture began to rise* After the initial rise in temperature the solution was refluxed with stirring for 48 hours or until neutral to litmus* After this time about two liters of alcohol was distilled off and the residue was treated with two liters of water* the upper layer was distilled from a 1-liter modified Claisen flask with a 24-inch vigreux column* She fraction boiling at 153-135°/44 mm*, ng°-l*4208, was collected for the next step in the eyntheois* The yield m ® 745 g* (74*5>)* Preparation of methy3^methyligopropylmalonate The introduction of the methyl group as the second alkyl group was first tried using methyl bromide as the methyiating agent with no reaction taking place at all# heart 540 g* (3*8 moles) of methyl iodide m s cording to the above procedure (39)* used ac­ After twelve hours* r©fluxing, distillation of the alcohol, and washing with water, the ester layer was distilled* unalkylated ester came over first* Some low boiling The fraction boiling at 116*11?°/1G nun., njj° 1.4242-1.4251, 563 g. (70£ of theoretical) ^as collected for the next step* The diethyl methyl!sopropyl malenate was also pre­ pared by first preparing diethyl methylmalonate (40) in 35$ yield from malonic ester and methyl bromide* The i©©propyl bromide was added to the diethyl methylmalonate and after refluxing for 72 hours only 48$ yield of diethyl methylisopropylm&Ionate was obtained for this step of the reaction* Preparation of 2.3-dlaathyl^tanole * s M The diethyl methylisopropylmalonate was treated (41) with am equivalent weight (ill) of KJDH and saponified with a reflux condenser for six hours* was neutralized with 12 XJpom cooling this B sulfuric acid and heated eight hours for decarboxylation* The product was distilled under reduced pressure and the fraction boiling at 102 - 104°/ 40 an. was saved far the Grignard reaction* The yield was 52$* yre p a r ationof 2*3*4-trimethyl-2-pentanol A large excess (42) of methyl magnesium bromide was prepared by passing methyl bromide through a potassium hydroxide train into anhydrous ether containing magnesium turnings* After all the 2,3-dlmethyl butanoic acid was added slowly, half of the ether was distilled off* Sufficient benzene was then added to bring the reflux temperature to 50-55° G. The mixture was then refluxed four to five hours and the cool solution hydrolysed upon lee* Bractionation of the dry ether solution yielded a low boiling ketone 35-55°/ 19 am. and the alcohol at 67-68°/ 19 mm* The outs with refraetive index values of 1*4330 were used for the first condensation* Because of the many steps in the synthesis, and relatively overall low yields (15-18$) a more effective preparation of the alcohol was sought# Synthesis by the Beformatskv reaction Huston and Goerner (43) had synthesised the alcohol in 40-45$ overall yield based on ethyl c<*bromo propionate* 81nee the steps were fewer and the yields much larger the bulk of the earbinol was synthesized by this method* Many helpful suggestions were given by 2k* Goerner in regard to techniques previously developed* 16. A kilogram of propionic acid was brominated (44) a n d ester if led (46} by procedures in "Organic Syntheses **. She Reformat sky reaction (43} was then used in five-mole runs in a k n o c k e d fire liter flask* sine was C. P. Baker9e Analysed, The thirty-mesh The acetone was dried several days ever anhydrous potassium carbonate* benzene solution of the The (3 -hydroxy ester thus obtained was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and dehydrated by ref Inning with phosphorus pent oxide by the method of fton and Bargund (46}. After removal of the benzene the umsatur&ted esters were fractionated under reduced pressure in a 24-inch Penske column. Reduction of the esters was accomplished 0.1 mole at a time using Adams 9 platinum catalyst* the lower boil­ ing unsaturated ester reduced in a few minutes while the higher boiling ester required from one to two hours to reduce 0.1 mole depending on the activity of the catalyst. At one time POOl^ was used as the dehydrating agent and because of the small amount of chloride present the catalyst was poisoned and subsequent treatment with alcoholic KGH was required before reduction could be continued. The yield of 2 »3-dimethy Ibutanoi c acid was 45-50>£ based on the bromo ester. To prepare the alcohol from the ester a ratio of 2.76 moles of methyl magnesium bromide to one mole of ester was used* The Grignard reagent was prepared by passing methyl bromide (99.5$ pure* frost a Bow cylinder) through a EOH column into a five liter flask containing ether and magnesium turnings* After adding the ester slowly about half of the ether was distilled off and benzene was added to bring the boiling point of the mix­ ture to SQ-5S® and refluxing continued for eight hours* The mixture was hydrolysed on ice and enough cold dilute sulfuric acid added to dissolve the basic magnesium salts* The acid layer was extracted with ether and the combined layers washed with finally with cold water* 10 $ sodium carbonate and The ether solution m s then dried all night over anhydrous potassium carbonate* After removal of the ether the distillation was carried out in a yeaske column* The yield of alcohol based on the ester was about 85$* Physical constants of the alcohol B.P.-15S0/ 733 m m . , S7.50/ 14 sou, 49.8°/ 7 m». »*° -1*4380 -0.8432 4 % -Gale* 40*67 Y*° -27.4 4yn«o/«m. Cbs. 40*24 XI. COb BMSATIQH WITH The apparatus (Pig. 1 ) used was that devised by Van Ifcrke (4), variations of which have been used con­ siderably in this laboratory* At (H) there is a mod­ ification by Ur. Goerner not shown in (Fig* 1). At this point (H) an additional stopcock was added so that the whole system oould be evacuated by water pump thus diminishing the time required for sweeping out with earbon dioxide* The functions of the various parts of the apparatus in (Fig# 1) are as follows« A- A 1- or 2- liter three-necked flask for con­ taining the condensation mixture* R* Propping funnel in which the alcohol is placed* G- Glycerine-sealed stirrer* D- Carbon dioxide generator (dry ice bottle) con­ nected to a sulfuric acid bottle. 32- Reflux condenser* G- Xce salt trap to collect benzene and vapor© of the less volatile liquid© and gases# I- Ury ice-acetone trap (-?5°) to collect vapors of more volatile liquid© and gases* K- Mercury for pressure regulation* 3> Safety trap (replaced once by bromine in carbon tetrachloride to test for unsaturated gases- FI GURE 1 fa. negative result© were obtained)* M- nitrometer filled with 50^ KOH* -Altogether 6*7 moles of the alcohol were condensed with benzene# In addition two one-mole rune by Hr, Goerner were added for analysis* She condensation pro* ©edure followed was typical of that evolved from years of experience in this laboratory by Huston and ouch workers t • as Bay © ($)» Barrett (3), and Van X&rke (4), She temper­ ature for the most part was kept at or just below 35° C* (a range of 34*1° 0 * was maintained as far as possible)* A typical condensation shall be described in detail* Benzene 450 ml* Alcohol 150 g* Aluminum Chloride 44*5 g* 5 moles 1 mole l^mole The aluminum chloride was placed in the flask, dry benzene added and the mixture stirred and heated to re­ flux while the system was evacuated with gentle suction* large quantities of hydrogen chloride were evolved* XJpon cooling carbon dioxide was flushed through the system until microbubbles were obtained in the nitrometer* At this point the Dewar flask© were placed at traps (G) and (1 ) and the stopcocks (F) and (h) directed so that the gases would flow through the traps* The first on©~third of the alcohol was added very •lowly In order to maintain a constant temperature* Especially during the first addition of alcohol there was considerable evolution of gases* The color transitions followed the usual aleohol-aluminum chloride condensation pattern (yellow, orange, brown, dark brown). During the addition of the second one*third the evolution of gases slackened and finally back pressure developed In the mereury bottle (&)* This back pressure was in part due to the liquefying of gases evolved in the traps (G) and (I)* To oounteraet this the pinch clamp controlling the carbon dioxide flow was slightly released until the pressure within equaled that without* The final one* third portion of the alcohol could be added rapidly with­ out change in temperature* The mixture was stirred for an additional hour and carbon dioxide passed through until microbubbles were obtained* While sweeping out the system with carbon dioxide stopcocks (F) and (H) were turned and the traps (0 ) and (l) were removed and either analysed immediately or sealed in a glass tube* The gas collected In the nitrometer was passed back and forth through a dry ice-acetone trap from one gas pipette to another* The gas pipettes were filled with concentrated sulfuric acid to take out any unsaturated gases* After passing through the trap several minutes only fifteen to twenty ml* of gas remained* This did not b u m and was evidently air which leaked in the system* Into the separatory funnel (B) was placed 125 ml* of ice water and while stirring it was added to flask A which was immersed in iee water* The stirring was continued until all of the giasay m s s clinging tc the walls of the flask had dissolved* The water layer was drawn off arid washed three times with benzene* 1 0 The combined extracts were washed with $ BOgCOg and finally with water and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate., It u OS* PAGDUKM* S&AGtlQBU&lQU A m While the condensation produets were drying* the liquids i» traps (G) and (l) were analysed* 2h trap (G)i two to five grams of ben&ane were usually collected* Bo other gases were found present in this trap except hydrogen chloride which saturated the whole system* 3*rap (l) contained as much as 10 gr&ias of condensed gas when two moles of the e&rfeinol were condensed with bensene* She contents of this trap were usually analyse ed first*, or else sealed in a glass tube for safe keep* log* Before sealing, a toluene thermometer was placed in one hole of a rubber stopper with the bulb touching the liquid in the trap* Hie other hole contained a delivery tube to another dry ice-acetone trap* -After passing the liquefied gases back and forth several times by gradually exposing one trap to the air until it gently boiled and keeping the other one in the aeeio»e~dry ice Dewar, the hydrogen chloride m s elminated from the liquid* The nitrometer usually contained only air* if the alcohol had been added too rapidly* and the evolution of gaseous products was too great, some bensene would escape from trap (G) to (I) and quantities of isebntime ordi«* narily trapped in (I) would pass to the nitrometer* Consequently the gas in the nitrometer was always passed back and forth through a dry ice-acetone trap as proviously described until there m e in volume* no more diminution At this point the remaining gas no longer burned* After having dried over night the liquid products of the condensation were distilled from a ground-glassjointed 1-11 ter round bottomed flask connected to a 24-inch Fenske column containing l/lc inch helices# the bemsene was removed at atmospheric pressure and great care m e taken to retrieve gases dissolved in the hydrocarbon mixture* Shis was accomplished by connecting a piece of rubber tubing to the top of the distilling head and extending into a test tube immersed in dry ice-acetone. Ihe amount of isobutane collected at this time quite often was greater than that collected in trap (I)* When nearly all of the bensene was removed two different course© were followed* On® was continued removal of ben©one and heating of the mixture at about 100 ° C* which caused the decomposition of a large amount of the alkyl chloride© present due to the instability of the tertiary alkyl chloride© at elevated temperatures* It was more desirable to convert nil of the chlorides to alkene© immediately by r©fluxing the solution with an equal weight of alcoholic KOH (1 *1 ) for two to four hours* She layers were separated and the upper layer washed several times with water# ihe other emulsion was washed with water several times and the combined organic layers dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. This treat­ ment usually gave chloride free organic layers. the treatment was repeated* If not Hie presence ©f chloride made separation difficult and tedious* Xdentifleation of Isohutane There was no unsatur&ted gas present as was ascer­ tained by passing the gases collected through bromine in carbon tetrachloride* This was doubly checked by using gas pipettes containing concentrated sulfuric acid and by refractive index measurements. The gas in trap (X) was fractionally distilled as previously described until free from hydrogen chloride and bensseae. An Anschuia thermometer then measured the boiling point at -11° to -10° C. Since refractive index readings are often better indications of purity than boiling points, an adaptation of a method by Grosrc (47) for determining refractive indices at low temperatures was used* The two lenses of the refract©meter were protected from frosting over with the moisture of the room by covering them with a glass plate sealed on the sides with vaseline. A thermometer was calibrated at -25° 0. and acetone with some solid carbon dioxide was passed back and forth through the system. After becoming familiar with the apparatus a temperature of -25° * 1° C. could be maintained. Three possible gases possessed the follow­ ing physical properties? Compound 1. P * C . n-butane iaobutane isobutylene n£26° - © #5 1*5621 -10*2 1*3514 -6 . 0 1.3814 The observed refractive indices varied from 1.3512 to 1.3518 in about ten readings, using different samples from different condensations* This left no doubt as to the Identity of the gas in trap (i) as Isobutane. In contrast to the work of Van % k e and Barrett no methyl chloride was found. a . fractionation without alcoholic KPH treatment. i . • ■ In { M g . 2) is shown the plot of grams of product vs. refractive index on condensation of three moles of the alcohol. An overall picture of the percentage yields and variations in refractive index is thus obtained# With alkyl chlorides separation of products was exceedingly difficult. For example in separating 2 ,3,44trim©thy 1 - 2 - chloropentane from t-butylbenzene long r©fluxing and slow removal of the alkyl chloride was required to keep the refractive index of the cuts at the value for the chloride. For this reason products shown in (Fig. 5) give a better picture of the separation. A list of fractions (3 mole basis) without alcoholic KQH treatment is as follows? 4-tri»»ethyl-2*-pentaaol and the physical properties compared* They were as followsj SP. - 60.5 - 61°/20,5 mm, nSO !> - 1.4392 i48-149°/r'3t’ mm. 0*8939 f - % - Calc. 43*98 oho. 43*84 SUV* - Chic* 149*6 oho. 160*3 ehs# (DuNouy) 381*4 (Prop wt.) 382*6 Paraehor - Calc. 380*4 Yield - 100 g. (23$) 4* 2-methyl-2-phenylpropane Thia low energy-level fragment has been found in all oases in which degradation has taken place* It was the major product and no difficulty was encountered in identi­ fying it by means of its p —scetaaimo derivative (48) . ihe physical constants eheek with those in Igloff (49)* B.P. - 60°/X4 mm. nl° - 1*4918 jf - 0*8672 ^ M*V* * - Paraehor M.P. — 168*3/737*3 am* Oslo. 44*78 ehe* 44.85 Calc. 134*0 ehs. 131*5 Chic * 339* 4 she* (BuHouy) 358. 6^23° C* (Prop wt.)35?*l©g0°C* p-acetamino derivative - 169-171° C. 115 g* (2Q%) Yield - (?) Because of difficulties encountered in separating these alkyl chlorides this fraction was worked with only after alcoholic X 0 B treatment* B®® - Yield - 1.48X3 8 g. (1 .2 /S) 6* 2-methyl-2-phenylbutane Hie boiling point, molecular weight and refractive index (50) checked with those of t-amylbenzene which led to the preparation of the p-aeetamino derivative, confirm­ ing the presence of this fraction. In order to raise the refractive index to the value reported in literature the fraction was refluxed with bromine in carbon tetra­ chloride and redistilled to eliminate traces of olefinic impurities. B.P. - 189-190°/742 mm. n|° - 1.4928 D20 4 % - 0.8716 - Calc. 49.40 oba. 49.34 M.W. - Calc. 148 obs. 150.5 Paraehor -Calc. 399.4 71-72°/l2 mm. obs. (Dullouy) 399.0 (Prop wt.) 397.8 M.P. - p-acetamino derivative 139-141 C. Yield - 13 g. (Z%) 7. C ^ S 01 This is not found in literature and it was not completely identified. After alcoholic KOH treatment the carbon and hydrogen analysis showed olefin forma­ tion. The molecular weight measurement indicated the presence of a compound comparable to thiss B.P. - 84-85°/4 mm. n®° - 1.4830 29. M.W. Yield 8 - Calc. 204.5 - obs. 202.2 20 g. (3$) . 2,3,4-trimethyl-2-phenylpentane This fraction was the expected condensation product. Because of such great fragmentation the yield was only 6.5$. An attempt to prepare the p-acetamino derivative gave no success. The carbon and hydrogen analysis indi­ cated an octyl benzene. It was necessary to reflux with bromine In carbon tetrachloride for a short time and redis­ til in order to eliminate unsaturated impurities. Subse­ quent nitration, reduction, and dlazotization gave a phenol corresponding to the one obtained by direct treatment of the carbinol with phenol. B.P. - 235°/758 mm. 92°/5 mm. n- . 1.4958 D2 0 4 % - 0.8840 - Calc. 63.25 obs. 63.35 U.W. - Calc. 190.3 obs. 192.5 Paraehor- Calc. 513.4 84°/2 mm. obs. (Duilouy) 512 @ 24°C. obs. (Strop w t . ) 509.6 @ 20°C* C - H Analysis C - Calc. 88.33$ obs. 88.27$ H - Calc. 11.67 obs. 11.50$ Yield - 35 g. (6.0$) 9. Residue This consisted of high boiling polymerized products. 15 g. B, Fractionation after alcoholic KOH treatment. A list of the fractions (3 mole basis) obtained after alcoholic KOH treatment is as followst 1 * 2 -methylpropane Identified with the same physical properties as in A* 2 . 2,4,4-trimethyl-l-pentene (?) This fraction was not identified, but there were indi­ cations that a trace might be present. Removal of hydrogen chloride from the octyl chloride with alcoholic iCOH gave a refractive index for the lowest fraction of just slightly below 1.410. lahltmore (51), in separating the two diiso­ butylenes obtained a refractive index of 1.409 for the lower boiling one and 1.415 for the higher boiling olefin. The former was also present in much larger amounts (4.5si) as shown by ©zonolysis (52). from 2 Removal of hydrogen chloride ,3 ,4-trimetby 1 - 2 -chloropentane could give two possible olefins. The refractive index of 2,3,4-trimet hy 1- 1-pentene, the one with the lower value 9 is 1.4146 (53). Therefore an index reading of 1.410 would indicate that 2,4,4-trimethyl-X-pentene could be present. This results either from the dimerizing of isobutylene or from hydrogen chloride removal after the octyl radical re­ arranges to form diisobutylene chloride. The other olefin, 2 ,4 ,4 -trimethyl- 2 -pentene would be present only in the ratio of 1 to 4.5 452) so that detection of such a small £rah,s PtoJucf amount would be impossible* B*P* * 10X-102°/73S mm* XQl.5°/76Q nan. (53) Bgv - 1*4092 1*4089 (53) B#° - 0*7173 0.7164 (33) % - Calc* 33*37 obs. 33*75 field - 4 I* (l$) 3* 2*3,4*trimethy1«*1*»pentone Hb« physical constants of this fraction compared f t W f i W y with those in l&lcft (53) leaving no doubt as to lie identity* B*P* * 107~1OSV?38 mm* 107°/ 7 44 mm* (33) ®§° - 1*4145 1*4146 (33) J&° - 0*7242 0*723 (53) ~ Calc* 38*57 obs* 38*65 Paraehor- Calc. 330*0 field - 45 g* (14$) 4* 2*3*4-trimeihyl~2-penteiie This olefin is the ether olefin formed by removing hydrogen chloride from 2 *3 *4 ~trimethyl- 2 -chl0 rop@nt&ne. The physical constants agree with those found in Bgloff (34)* B.P. - 114~115°/738 mm. 42°/58 mm. 115°/?50 mm 1*423 0*7370 M*W* Calc* 38*67 Obs. 38.74 - Oslo* 112*1 Obs. 114*0 Iterachor- Calc. 330.0 XIaid obs. (DuHouy) 333.1 (nrop Wt.) 334.2 - 35 g. (16$) 5. 2-»ethyl-2»phenylp:ropane Physical constants and 1dentIfIcatIon steps given in A. 6 * C11H22 She sharp drop in refractive index (Jig* 3) is indic­ ative of a change from an aromatic compound to a complete­ ly aliphatic one* She hand reading of the refractometer Indicated this also* Although complete identity of the hydrocarbon fraction was not established, its carbon and hydrogen analysis showed it to he olefinic* and its molecular weight proved it to be an olefin or mixture of olefins of eleven carbon atoms. The most plausible eleven carbon olefins will be suggested under the Discussion part of the thesis* B.P. * 17?«*X80°/?33 mm. n®° - 1.449© j^O - 0.7915 l£g - Calc* 02435 obs* 52*33 Iff.W. * Calc. 154*3 obs. 153*5 paraehor- 450*0 obs* (DuHouy) 454*5 C - H Analysis 0 * Calc* ©5*71 H - Calc. 14*29 obs. 85*62 obs* 14*13 Yield - 8 g. (2$) 7• 2 -methyl- 2 -phenylbutane This fraction was Identified and has the physical constants shown in A* c 12H 24 A drop in refractive index# deeolorisation of bromine in carbon tetrachloride and earbon-hydrogen analysis in­ dicated this fraction to be an olefin or mixture of olefins* Molecular weight determination shows it probab­ ly contains twelve carbon atoms* under the Discussion part of the thesis the possible structures will be suggested* Bydroxylation and oxidation with perchloric acid yielded acetone in small amounts* This would indi­ cate 2,4,4,5,6-pentaraethyl-2-heptene as one of the probable olefins* B.P. - 189-197°/?33 mm* 57-S7.5°/4 mm. n|° - 1*4620 2j£° - 0*8091 % - Calc. 57.15 obs. 57.06 M.W. - Calc* 168.3 obs. 170.8 Paraehor-Calc. 484 obs. (DuHouy) 474.0 @ 26°G. C - H Analysis C — Calc. 85.71 B - Calc. 14.29 obs* 85.89 obs. 14.05 Yield - 25 g. (5.5$) 9. 2*3*4-trimethyl-2-phenylpentane Physical constants and identification in part A* 34 1 0 . Residue 0 »e fraction of this residue with a refractive index reading lower than the octylbenzene gave a molecular weight of 230. An olefin of sixteen carbons would have a molecular weight of 224. Thus there la evidently some dimerizing of the octyl group and perhaps even further polymerisation. 13 g. iv. a*’ t m qarbimqh with BHmox, To aid in the proof of the structure of the octyl- benzene the alcohol was also condensed with phenol. Guile (23) had made this condensation in 1938 with 0.25 moles of the carbinol but due to the fragmentation of the alcohol 9 small yield and varied products it was thought advisable to cheek the physical constants of the octyl* phenol and its derivatives. Two condensations were made using 0.55 moles and 1*1 moles of the alcohol. The apparatus in (Jig. 1) was used in order that escaping gases might be detected. The procedure was essentially the same as outlined by Guile. Hie aluminum chloride (0.5 moles) and 200 ml. of skelly solve were mixed together in a 3-necked flask* The phenol (1*2 moles) was dissolved in 1 mole of carbi­ nol and the solution added slowly through a separatory funnel* The temperature was kept at 29*1°c* After all 35 of the solution had been added# the mixture was allowed to stand all night and hydrolysed the next morning with lee water* 3he water layer was extracted three times with ether* The combined extracts were dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate* tfpon distillation of the solvent at atmospheric pressure about 1 gram of isobutane was collected in a dry iee^aelltone hath* After the solvent had been removed* fractionation showed the two olefins resulting from the dehydration of 2 f3 t4~trlmethyl~2~pentanol» the octyl chloride* large quantities of wnre&eted phenol# plus al&yl phenols* There were two w i n fractions of these ahlyl phenols as followst PTom 1*1 moles of carbinol * X. 110*125®/$ II* X30*14O°/5 mm. 3.0 grams 23 gram® fraction I did not crystallise until redistilled several times to free it from phenol. (M.P. 95-96°) was obtained W Tertiary butylphenol crystallising from skelly solve* fraction II first started to melt at 78°* Repeated crystallizations from skelly solve* leept at - 1 0 ° f gradually increased the melting point of the phenol separating out. Redissolving in fresh solvent and reerystall!zat1on finally gave a phenol melting at 88-89°, This proved to be 2#3*4- trlmethyl- 2 *p-hy dr oxypheny Ip entane* There were several crystal fractions ranging in melt­ ing point from 68 ° to the pwre octylphenol. The lowering of the melting point was undoubtedly due to some foreign substance* It was thought that the foreign substance might be some t-butylphenol or perhaps some rearranged octylphenol 9 (2 9 4 #4*trim«thyl- 2 -p*hydroxyphenyIpentandu Smith and Hodden (58) have shown that aluminum chloride treatment of dlisobutylene phenol gives 75$ yields of tertiary butylphenol* V, PROOF Q¥ BIBUCTUhS Nitration of the octylbensen© by the IfeXberbe (59) procedure, reduction of the amine# and subsequent diasotization to give the phenol was carried out as outlined in detail by Guile (83)# Van Ifcrlce (4) and Kaye (5). Mixed melting points of the converted octylbenzene and the ootylphenol showed no depression. Their c*-naph- thylurethanes when mixed also melted without depression. The t-butylbenzene was also converted into the t-buiylphenol and its melting point and benzoate derivatives were identical with those obtained from direct condensa­ tion of the alcohol with phenol. The structure of 2 ,3 ,4 -trimethyl- 2 -chloropentane was proved by preparing it from the alcohol. 2,3,4- trimetbyl- 2 -pentanol was treated with concentrated hydro­ chloric acid, refluxed and the product distilled under reduced pressure. The constants cheeked with those of the alkyl chloride obtained* The eleven- and twelve-carbon olefins were hydroxy leted by the method of Milas and Susbiaan (64)* The glyeols thus obtained were oxidised with *Cerie perchlorate * as outlined by Smith and Duke (65). Bvidently the double bond is next to the end carbon in most of the fraction as there were no aldehydes or ketones obtained* A small amount of acetone was found upon oxidation of the glycol from the VI* mM&ABATXQM 1* The m zmav a t fraction* ivm o<^mphthy lure thanes were prepared by the method of Jremeh and Wertel (57). 2 * the benzoates were prepared by the pyridine method of Shriner and Puson (60) for the preparation of 3 #5~dinitr©benzoates. 3 « the preparation of the p-aeetamino derivatives is described In detail by Van lyke* It is the method developed by Ipatieff and Scbaerllng (88,58)* ■?<7 J © iTt m o tin 4i> »"■* s^i -N ■m. &> o a> o o «s 2 t -r— r 1' <~s I JK © $4 t O 4* 4* 4* t O' £ r-f © K\ S* J£ *» *s «D O f— i~!’. j \£) © © as 4> 1 Ct su f-i © >■ ■ ' iH (£ i ■fw «• 1 4; r?~* JC K *» © £«* * *© 1 Pv iM J& * f"1 c r«•<-I 1 Ai P* © '••t •:•'•.! 1 r Js-,. 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I I sxacussxos Vfam 2*3*4-trimethyl-2~pent&nol (23} was condensed before with benzene* none of the octylbenzene was obtained because of the small quantity condensed* With low boil* lag point products it was apparent that fragmentation had taken place* Shis led to the problem of this thesis* observing the f ragmen tat ion of the alcohol by condensing several moles with heasene and carefully fractionating the products* Hhttmore (61) has observed that catalysts such as aluminum chloride cause molecules to rearrange by methyl group migration* and In 191$ Boedtker and Balse noticed rupture of the molecule with aluminum chloride as catalyst* M the study of this alcohol there is both rearrangement end rupture of the molecule in more than one manner* In all highly branched alcohols one of the products of condensation with benzene is the resonating* low energy level* tertiary butylbenzene. It was the principal pro­ duct in this case* As was deduced in the theoretical part of this thesis* the best theory for the condensation mechanism is an adaptation of that of Price (27)* According to the cationoid theory the condensation would proceed in the following steps s ** C#) m f * + ||t* 97 50* Egloff, Ibid., 51* Whitmore andWrenn, J* Am. p. 115 Chem* Soc.,53,5136 (1931) 52. Whitmore and Church,! old., 53. Egloff, 54* Egloff, _54, 3710 (1932) ••PhysicalCourt ants of Hydro e? rbo ns*, Vol. X, Reinhold Publishing Cory., H. Y . , 1939, p. 232 Ibid., p. 233 55. Whitmore end Souk, J. Am. Chem* 56* Komerewsky, Ibid, 69, 492 (1947) 57* Yrench and Wert el, Ibid., 48,1756 (19 26) 58. Ipatieff end Schmerling, Ibid., Soc*, ^54,3714 (19 32) 59,1056 (1937) 50. 59* Malherbe, Ber., 60. Shriner and Fuson, *XdeniIfieation of Organic Compounds", John Wiley and Sons, H. Y, 2nd Ed,, 1940, p. 138 41. Whi trnor e» J. Am* Chem, Soc., 62. Oilman, "Organic Ohemietry * § John Wiley and Sons, Vol. 1, 2nd Ed*, 1942, p. 13 63* Ipatieff and Grosse,J. Am* Chem* Soc., 52, 319 (1919) 54,3274 (1932) 915 (1936) 64* Milan and Suesman, Ibid., 58,1302 (1936) 68. Smith and Duke, 2nd. Bog. Chem., Anal. Ed.» 13, 558 (1941) 86. Shmarewslcy and dicle,^* Am. Chem* §9# 492 (1947) 67. Whitmore and Houk Ibid.# §4,5714 (1932) 68* Whitmore and HomeyersIbid*# ,4194 (1933) 69. Whitmore, Howland, Urenn and Kilmer, 70. Kuykendall and Board, Ibid., §4,2970 (1942) Ohio State t&iv*, Abe. Bteto*** M s sot*tat ion, lb. 17, 241*53, 1935