REACTION OF MANGANESE(III) ACETATE-ACETYL CHLORIDE WITH BENZENES

Manganese(III) acetate-acetyl chloride smoothly halogenates benzenes at the aromatic nucleus while benzylic chlorination is observed on substrates bearing an electron-donor substituent and an ortho or para methyl group; the results are rationalized by a reaction pathway involving a single electron transfer from the substrate to a manganese(III) species.