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Post 439768 (missing)
(Lego: "P2Ps from benzenes by Friedel-Crafts reaction", Methods Discourse)In this reference the authors alkylate benzene with an substituted monochloroacetone derivate. They use SnCl4 for this purpose and tell the activity of catalysts, Lewis-acids usable in this synthesis is:
AlCl3 = SnCl4 > TiCl4 > ZnCl2
This baffled me as up to now I thought the activity is more like:
AlCl3 > FeCl3 > SnCl4 = ZnCl2
At least this is what most literature I read on this reaction said also there was no real consens - only SnCl4 was widely regarded as being not very active.
If SnCl4 is usable for a chloroacetone - benzene coupling I hope this might help to avoid excessive polymerization/polyalkylation.
Has somebody experiences or otherwise knowledge on Friedel-Crafts alkylations with other Lewis acids than AlCl3, preferable with benzene as aromatic compound?
btw. my question is on Lewis acids, not on the dangers of chloroacetone - this compound seems to trigger rather hysteric outbreaks it seems.