A New Synthesis of p-Terphenyl and its Derivatives

Abstract

WHEN unsaturated ketones in cyclic systems are subjected to Friedel–Crafts reaction¹ in presence of anhydrous aluminium chloride, they give rise to unexpected products. Some significant observations have been made in this laboratory² on the Friedel–Crafts reaction involving unsaturated ketones, and this reaction, when extended to cyclohexenyl–cyclohexanone, led to a new method of synthesis of p-terphenyl and its derivatives. Although a number of such syntheses have been described in the literature^3–7, the present method offers a more convenient synthesis of p-terphenyl and its derivatives starting from easily available materials. Moreover, studies on the condensation of cyclohexenyl–cyclohexanone with biphenyl, p-terphenyl, etc., are in progress, which may eventually lead to the development of a new general method for synthesis of polyphenyls.