Highly selective formation of 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene in HCl-modified triethylamine–aluminum chloride ionic liquid?

Catalysis Science & Technology Pub Date: 2012-03-23 DOI: 10.1039/C2CY00239F

Abstract

HCl-modified triethylamine aluminum chloride ionic liquid (Et3NHCl–2.0AlCl3–HCl) was prepared and 27Al NMR measurements were carried out. The acidity of the ionic liquids (ILs) was characterized by FT-IR with using pyridine as a probe molecule and the Hammett acidity function was determined by UV-vis spectroscopy. The catalytic performance of the ionic liquids for the synthesis of 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene (2,6-DMN) with high selectivity by the transalkylation of 2-methylnaphthalene (2-MN) with 1,2,4,5-tetramethylbenzene (TeMB) was investigated. Under the optimal reaction conditions, 15.6% conversion of 2-MN and 100% selectivity of 2,6-DMN in the dimethylnaphthalenes were obtained.

Graphical abstract: Highly selective formation of 2,6-dimethylnaphthalene in HCl-modified triethylamine–aluminum chloride ionic liquid
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