Reactions of 1,3-dichloroacetone with phenols

Abstract

p-Nitrophenol and toluene-p-thiol reacted with 1,3-dichloroacetone in acetone, in the presence of potassium carbonate and potassium iodide, to give the expected 1,3-bis-p-nitrophenoxy- and bis-p-tolylthio-acetone, respectively. In contrast, the less acidic phenols p-cresol, p-methoxyphenol, and p-chlorophenol, under similar conditions, gave the corresponding 1,1-disubstituted acetones as the major products.