video tutorial Testing OTC Friedel-Crafts catalysts

Name: video tutorial - Testing OTC Friedel-Crafts catalysts
Uploaded: 2025-12-11T09:03:44.077Z
Duration: 12 min 12 s
Description: Check out some of our other videos for details of how to make this.

Overview: a research video detailing trials of Friedel–Crafts acylation in toluene using different catalysts to compare reactivity and develop a procedure.
Setup: dry 100 mL flasks with a calcium chloride drying tube; toluene as solvent; acetyl chloride or propionyl chloride as acylating agents; monitoring for HCl release as a sign of reaction.
First catalysts tested: zinc chloride as replacement for AlCl3; 7.5 g ZnCl2 used; no reaction observed after extended heating; HCl not detected; concluded ZnCl2 is not a viable catalyst (also tested with propionyl chloride with same result).
Alternative catalyst: zinc metal powder (7.5 g) added to toluene (25 mL) with propionyl chloride (4.5 mL); quick color change and exothermic response; reaction heated gently for an hour; quenching with cold water; workup included aqueous bicarbonate wash to remove propionic acid, drying, and distillation to recover toluene.
Outcome: isolated 3.2 g of crude acylation product; potential yield around 42% if the product is methyl propiophenone; indicates zinc metal can act as Friedel–Crafts acylation catalyst in some cases; plan to optimize and test with benzene as well.
Additional tests: magnesium powder and fine aluminum powder were also tested as catalysts, but both gave no reaction.
Conclusion and outlook: zinc metal shows unique catalytic power among tested metals; further Friedel–Crafts experiments planned.