Acylation and alkylation reactions. Part IV. The cyclisation of alkyl-substituted phenoxyacetyl chlorides to benzofuran-3(2H)-ones

Abstract

The interaction of 14 alkyl-substituted phenoxyacetyl chlorides with aluminium chloride in benzene gives the cyclic ketones as the dominant products. In the reactions of the 4-chloro-3-methyl and 3,4-dimethyl compounds the major cyclic product is the 5,6-disubstituted benzofuranone; the reactions with the 3,4-polymethylene derivatives give largely the linear isomer in the case of the tri, penta,- and hexa-methylene compounds and largely the angular isomer in the case of the tetramethylene compound.