Mesoporous aluminosilicate MCM-41 as a convenient acid catalyst for Friedel–Crafts alkylation of a bulky aromatic compound with cinnamyl alcohol

Abstract

Owing to its large molecular size, alkylation of 2,4-di-tert-butylphenol with cinnamyl alcohol does not take plAcc using HY zeolite (pore opening 7.4 Å) as catalyst even after controlled steaming treatment to increase its mesoporosity; by contrast, novel mesoporous aluminosilicate MCM-41 catalyses this reaction giving rise to 6,8-di-tert-butyl-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro[4H]benzopyran (arising from intramolecular cyclization of the primary cinnamylphenol) together with 4-tert-butylphenol and small amounts of 6-tert-butyl-2-phenyl-2,3-dihydro[4H]benzopyran.