Date of Award

4-2001

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Chemistry

First Advisor

Dr. John E. Chateauneuf

Second Advisor

Dr. Marc W. Perkovic

Third Advisor

Dr. Elke Schoffers

Access Setting

Masters Thesis-Open Access

Abstract

This study investigates the Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction of triphenylmethanol with methoxybenzene (anisole) in supercritical and subcritical carbon dioxide, and under solventless reaction conditions. The reaction was initiated using trifluoroacetic acid to produce triphenylmethylcarbocation as the reaction intermediate. Isolated product yields of the Friedel-Crafts product, p-methoxytetraphenylmethane, are reported. The possibility of using the above reaction as an alternative synthesis in an undergraduate organic laboratory to teach some of the tenets of green chemistry is also presented. Additionally, we have investigated the use of benzhydrol, 9-hydroxyxanthene and 9-phenylxanthen-9- ol as potential carbocation sources for supercritical carbon dioxide synthesis and we report those preliminary results.

Included in

Chemistry Commons

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