Synthesis of substituted α-tetralones and substituted 1-naphthols via regioselective ring expansion of 1-acyl-1-indanol skeleton

Substituted 1-acyl-1-indanols were prepared using the corresponding readily commercially available substituted indanones as starting materials. Treatment of each 1-acyl-1-indanol derivative with sodium methoxide in hot methanol furnished a regiospecific 2-hydroxy-α-tetralone derivative, which was an α-keto rearrangement product. Each substituted 2-hydroxy-α-tetralone then underwent dehydration to afford the corresponding 1-naphthol derivative.