ortho-Diquaternary aromatic compounds. II. Synthesis and spectral properties of β,β′-dihydroxy-2,3-di-t-butylnaphthalene and related crowded aromatics
Cyclialkylation of naphthalene with 2,2,5,5-tetramethyltetrahydrofuranone yielded 2-keto-1,1,4,4-tetramethyl-1,2,3,4-tetrahydroanthracene (1). Selenium dioxide oxidation of 1 yielded the corresponding diketone (3) and periodate cleavage of 3 yielded 2,3-naphthalene-diisobutyric acid (4). Hydride reduction of the dimethyl ester (6) of 4 yielded the diol, β,β′-dihydroxy-2,3-di-t-butylnaphthalene (7). The relative chemical shifts of aromatic protons of 1,2,4,5-tetraalkylbenzenes containing gem dimethyls are rationalized in terms of compression effects exerted by the bulky ortho groups. Nuclear magnetic resonance and ultraviolet spectral results for the ortho di-t-butyl aromatic derivatives 4, 6, and 7 are compared to the model cyclic compounds 1 and anhydride (5) of 4 in terms of the strain caused by bond angle deformations in the side chains.