Condensation of p-cresol with carbon tetrachloride

Abstract

p-Cresol has been condensed with carbon tetrachloride in the presence of anhydrous zinc chloride as catalyst. The products were di-p-tolyl carbonate, p-tolyl 2-hydroxy-5-methylbenzoate, 2,7-dimethylxanthone, 2,2′-dihydroxy-5,5′-dimethyldiphenylmethane, and 2,2′,2″-trihydroxy-5,5′,5″-trimethyltriphenylmethane. The predicted dihydroxydimethylbenzophenone was not isolable, but a considerable amount of its reduction product, dihydroxydimethyldiphenylmethane was obtained. The latter, homologues of which have not been previously isolated from similar condensations, was also prepared by the reaction of p-cresol with chloroform in the presence of zinc chloride.