Comments on: EAS Reactions (3) – Friedel-Crafts Acylation and Friedel-Crafts Alkylation

By: James Ashenhurst

James Ashenhurst — Wed, 13 May 2026 19:55:11 +0000

Yes, that is true

By: Nithin K

Nithin K — Wed, 13 May 2026 12:03:13 +0000

We’ve read that aniline and phenols dont give friedel crafts as well because they form a complex with alcl3 on the nitrogen or oxygen due to the presence of a lone pair.

By: Riya Chowdhury

Riya Chowdhury — Thu, 28 Nov 2024 19:30:50 +0000

Acetophenone+Alcl3+Aq.HCl -A+B
Can you name the reason and give the products

By: James Ashenhurst

James Ashenhurst — Tue, 24 Oct 2023 00:28:56 +0000

In reply to Remshah. No, not through any kind of Friedel-Crafts reaction.

By: Remshah

Remshah — Sat, 21 Oct 2023 11:07:27 +0000

do methyl ketone reacts with benzene in the presence of AlCl3

By: Akshay

Akshay — Mon, 08 May 2023 04:06:27 +0000

Thanks for replying to my question!

I have a few doubts about the mechanism that you have drawn out for the double Friedel-Crafts reaction. In the mechanism, the AlCl3 attacks the carbonyl oxygen atom instead of the oxygen atom which is part of the ring, which is different from how AlCl3 doesn’t attack the carbonyl oxygen atom when we are using acyl halides. Is there a reason why the mechanism is different in this case? And also, if we use the same epoxide ring as before, but without the carbonyl oxygen atoms, will the Friedel-Crafts reactions still take place?

Also, as AlCl3 is a catalyst, we should be getting back AlCl3 by the end of the reactions. However, in your mechanism, we are getting [OAlCl3]− instead. So, shouldn’t the oxygen atom still remain on the carbon chain, resulting in the formation of a carboxylic acid just before the cyclization of the carbon chain occurs?

By: James Ashenhurst

James Ashenhurst — Sun, 07 May 2023 16:56:11 +0000

In reply to Akshay.

1) I don’t think there is anything magical about FeCl3. Friedel Crafts rearrangements will happen as soon as heat is applied.

2) Hi, yes, I have drawn out the mechanism for this double Friedel-Crafts acylation reaction.https://cdn.masterorganicchemistry.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/Supp-1-Mechanism-for-intramolecular-Friedel-Crafts.gif

By: Akshay

Akshay — Sun, 07 May 2023 06:36:11 +0000

Hi! I have 2 questions:
1)As you have pointed out, carbocation rearrangements can occur in Friedel-Crafts Alkylation reactions. However, this seems to only occur when AlCl3 is used as a catalyst. When FeCl3 is used in your given example, isopropylbenzene becomes a minor product and propylbenzene becomes the major product. Is there a reason why this occurs?
Related links: https://tinyurl.com/4jy6kfea , https://tinyurl.com/yjm9smc9

2)In this question (https://tinyurl.com/bddnkd97) in the reaction from P to Q, I am not sure how AlCl3 attaches to the Epoxide and how the resulting Friedel-Crafts reaction takes place and I was wondering whether you could explain how this mechanism takes place?

By: James Ashenhurst

James Ashenhurst — Tue, 03 May 2022 15:23:04 +0000

In reply to RJD. Occasionally I can be irreverent.

By: RJD

RJD — Mon, 02 May 2022 13:25:38 +0000

Organic chemistry 2: the course where first-semester concepts come back to bite you in the ass. Mr. James please don't put such sentences.