Highly selective Friedel–Crafts acylation of 2-methoxynaphthlene catalyzed by H-BEA zeolite Original Research Article

The Friedel–Crafts acylation of 2-methoxynaphthalene with acetic and propionic anhydrides is actively catalyzed by H-BEA zeolite in batch conditions. Zeolite pre-treatment at increasing temperature leads to increasing selectivity of the less bulky 6-acyl-2-methoxy isomer. The selectivity toward the 6-isomer also increases if the catalyst/substrate ratio is increased. Catalyst activity and selectivity are correlated with the extra framework aluminum formation during thermal pretreatments of the zeolite.