explain friedel craft's alkylation reaction.

Carbocations are electrophiles, and can therefore be useful reagents for forming new C-C bonds in Electrophilic Aromatic Substitution processes.

Friedal and Craft demonstrated that benzene would react with alkyl halides in the presence of a Lewis acid as catalyst (e.g. anhydrous aluminium chloride ,AlCl₃) to produce alkyl benzenes.

This reaction became known as Friedal-Crafts alkylation.

E.g Reaction of benzene with t-butyl chloride to give t-butyl benzene

Mechanism of alkylation:

1. Generation of electrophile : The t-butylchloride reacts with the Lewis acid to generate the t-butyl carbocation.

2. Attack of electrophile : The t-butyl carbocation acts as the electrophile.

3. Abstration of proton : This is followed by loss of a proton, giving t-butyl benzene as the product.

Friedel craft's alkylation reaction:-

In this reaction benzene and other aromatic compounds react with alkyl halides in the presence of anhydrous AlCl₃ to form alkyl benzene. This reaction involves addition of (-R) group to the benzene ring.

• Friedel−Crafts alkylation

Friedel craft's acylation reaction:-

In this reaction benzene and other aromatic compounds react with acid chloride or anhydride in the presence of anhydrous AlCl₃ to form ketones.This reaction involves addition of acyl ( RCO-) group.

Friedel − Crafts acylation