Effect of a competing n donor on the rate of AlCl3-catalyzed Diels-Alder reaction of 9,10-dimethylanthracene with maleic anhydride

Abstract

The catalytic effect of AlCl3 on the Diels-Alder reaction of 9,10-dimethylanthracene with maleic anhydride is dramatically weakened on addition of a competing n donor, dibutyl ether. The n,v complex of aluminum chloride with dibutyl ether is considerably more stable than the complex with maleic anhydride; therefore, the catalytic effect is suppressed even at comparable concentrations of these n donors.