Abstract
A highly efficient procedure for etherification and oxidation of aromatic alcohol is described using unsupported and supported P2O5 on alumina and/or silica gel. The silica gel and alumina proved to be the most suitable support among the supports examined in our experiments. It was illustrated that the etherification and oxidative performance in reactions depend largely upon variables including reaction temperature, the nature of the P2O5 used (supported or unsupported P2O5), and whether solvent-free conditions are applied. It was shown that P2O5 not only can convert the aromatic alcohols into corresponding ethers and/or aldehyde and ketone but also can convert aromatic ethers into aldehyde or ketone via oxidative cleavage. Finally, quantum mechanical calculations were performed to rationalized these events, and it was indicated that aldehyde and ketone are more favorable products on the basis of the heat of formation (ΔHf).
ACKNOWLEDGMENT
The authors acknowledge to Bu-Ali Sina University Research Council and Center of Excellence in Development of Chemical Methods (CEDCM) for support of this work.
Notes
a Tedious workup procedures.
a Anhydrous solvent.
b No reaction after 12 h.
a Anhydrous Solvent.
a No Reaction.
a Isolated yield.