What is friedels?

Friedel's Crafts reactions refer to a set of organic reactions that involve the formation of a carbon-carbon bond between an aromatic compound and an alkyl or acyl halide. They are named after their discoverer, Charles Friedel, a French chemist, and his collaborator, James Crafts.

The Friedel-Crafts reaction is typically carried out with the use of a strong Lewis acid catalyst such as aluminum chloride (AlCl3) or ferric chloride (FeCl3). The Lewis acid activates the halide by facilitating its dissociation into its constituent parts, an alkyl or acyl cation and a halide anion. The activated alkyl or acyl cation then reacts with the aromatic ring, leading to the formation of a new carbon-carbon bond.

Friedel's Crafts reactions are widely used in organic synthesis, particularly in the preparation of pharmaceuticals, dyes, fragrances, and other specialty chemicals. However, they do have some limitations, including the side reactions that can occur and the difficulty in controlling regioselectivity when more than one possible site of reaction exists on the aromatic ring.

Overall, Friedel's Crafts reactions are important tools in the field of organic chemistry, and continue to play a significant role in the synthesis of a wide range of compounds.