THE METHOXYMERCURATION OF SOME STYRENE DERIVATIVES

Article abstract of DOI:10.1016/S0022-328X(00)81864-1

Product analyses have been carried out and reaction rates and activation parameters determined for the methoxymercuration of some styrene derivatives and related compounds in methanol.The behaviour of α- and β-alkyl substituted styrenes generally parallels that of the similarly substituted vinylferrocenes.The anomalous reactivity of β,β-dimethylstyrene is suggested to arise from the structural features of this compound.The reaction of the stilbenes was found to be stereospecific.The results are consistent with an unsymmetrically bridged structure for the cationic intermediate possibly involving varying degrees of bridging depending on substrate.