Catalytic rearrangement of the chloroallyl ethers of p-cresol

The rearrangement of a series of p-cresol ethers (β- and γ-chloro-, βγ- and βγ,γ-trichloroallyl), catalyzed by boron trifluoride etherate, was studied. Increase in the number of chlorine atoms in the allyl unit of the ether hinders the rearrangement, and its mechanism changes in the investigated series of ethers from intramolecular [3,3]-sigmatropic (with inversion of the allyl unit) to intermolecular, which corresponds to electrophilic substitution in the aromatic ring (without inversion). The presence of the chlorine atom at the β position of the allyl unit promotes rearrangement by a concerted intramolecular mechanism, while a chlorine atom at the γ position promotes rearrangement by an intermolecular stage mechanism. Two chlorine atoms at the γ position give rise mainly to the intermolecular rearrangement path