187. Acid-Catalyzed Cleavage of 1,4-Dimethyl-1,4-dihydronaphthalene 1,4-Endoperoxide. Reactivity of the Resulting Hydroxyperoxy Carbocation with Nucleophiles

Article abstract of DOI:10.1002/hlca.19850680635

In the presence of acids, 1,4-dimethyl-1,4-dihydronaphthalene 1,4-endoperoxie readily reacts with nucleophiles to produce methyl- and ring-substituted naphthalenes in high yields.The regioselectivity observed depends on the nucleophile.The key intermediate is shown to be the corresponding hydroperoxy carbocation which could be intercepted in certain cases prior to aromatization.The hydroperoxide also undergoes Hock-type cleavage and dimerization giving 2,3-dihydro-1-benzoxepins, 4-methyl-1-naphthol, and 1,2,5,6-tetraoxocane as by-products.