Aromatic transformation process

A process for transaralkylating a starting 1,3,3-trialkyl-1-aryl-substituted indan wherein the 1-aryl group can optionally be substituted with from 1 to 4 lower alkyl groups to produce a product 1,3,3-trialkyl-1-aryl-substituted indan having a different 1-aryl group than said starting 1,3,3-trialkyl-1aryl substituted indan, said process comprising contacting said starting substituted indan with a molar excess of a lower alkyl-substituted aromatic compound which has a different lower alkyl substitution from said alkyl-substitution present in said 1-aryl group of said starting 1,3,3-trialkyl-1-aryl-substituted indan, under liquid phase conditions in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of a catalyst comprising aluminum trichloride and hydrogen chloride until at least some of said alkyl-substituted aromatic compound has replaced at least a portion of said 1-aryl group of said starting 1,3,3-trialkyl-1-aryl-substituted indan.

A process for producing 2,2-di(alkyl-substituted)aryl propane from alpha methyl styrene comprising the steps of

• (A) hydrochlorinating alpha methyl styrene to produce a 2-phenyl-2-chloropropane,
• (B) alkylating an alkyl-substituted aromatic compound with said 2-phenyl-2-chloropropane in the presence of both a catalytically effective amount of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst comprised of an adduct of aluminum trichloride and nitromethane, and also a molar excess of said aromatic compound to produce 2-phenyl-2-(alkyl-substituted)aryl propane, and
• (C) transaralkylating said 2-phenyl-2-(alkyl-substituted)aryl propane with said alkyl-substituted aromatic compound in the presence of both a catalytically effective amount of a catalyst comprised of aluminum trichloride and hydrogen chloride and also a molar excess of said alkyl-substituted aromatic compound until at least some of said 2,2-di(alkyl-substituted)aryl propane is produced.

A process for producing a 1,3,3-trimethyl-1-aryl indan comprising the steps of

• (A) dimerizing a compound selected from the group consisting of alpha methyl styrene and a lower alkyl-substituted alpha methyl styrene in the presence of a catalytically effective amount of an acid catalyst to form a 1,3,3-trimethyl-1-phenyl indan, and
• (B) transaralkylating said 1,3,3-trimethyl-1-phenyl indan with an alkyl-substituted aromatic compound in the presence of both a catalytically effective amount of a Friedel-Crafts catalyst, and also a molar excess of said aromatic compound to form a 1,3,3-trimethyl-1-(lower alkyl-substituted)phenyl indan.

A process for preparing 3,3',4,4'-dixylylmethane comprising:

• reacting in a suitable reaction zone a reaction mixture comprising o-xylene, a dixylylmethane isomer selected from 2,2',3,3'-, 2,3',3,4'-dixylylmethane, and mixtures thereof, and a catalytically effective amount of Friedel-Crafts catalyst, for a time sufficient to convert a substantial portion of said isomer to 3,3',4,4'-dixylylmethane product.