alpha,alpha'-Dibromo-p-xylene

106-42-3

623-24-5

2.3.2.1 Synthesis of 1,4-bis(bromomethyl)benzene 4 In a 250 mL round bottom flask, p-xylene 1 (5 mL, 40.78 mmol) and 70 mL carbon tetrachloride were added as solvents. The flask was heated in an oil bath. Subsequently, N-bromosuccinimide (29.86 g, 167.80 mmol) and benzoyl peroxide (5.83 g, 24.08 mmol) were added sequentially to the flask. The reaction mixture was refluxed at 70 °C for 12 hours. Upon completion of the reaction, the solution was cooled to room temperature, at which point a solid imide precipitated, which was removed by filtration. The filtrate was distilled under reduced pressure to remove the solvent to give the light yellow solid product 1,4-bis(bromomethyl)benzene 4 in 90% yield with a melting point of 142-144 °C. The product was analyzed by FT-IR (KBr, cm^-1) showing 568 (C-Br stretching vibration), 1625 (C=C stretching vibration); 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3) showing 4.28 (s, 4H, methylene proton), 7.18 (s, 4H, aromatic proton).