LOW-TEMPERATURE FUNCTIONALIZATION OF ALKA NES AND CYCLOALKANES BY CLASSICAL AND NONCLASSICAL (SUPERACIDIC) FRIEDEL-CRAFTS COMPLEXES

This review includes discussion of the functionalisation of isoalkanes and cycloalkanes with tertiary carbon atoms under the action of class ical Friedel - Crafts RCOX . AlCl3 complexes and related systems with a small excess of AlCl3. The studies of the last decade on functionali sation of saturated hydrocarbons including linear alkanes and non-bran ching cycloalkanes under the action of super-electrophilic systems of the novel types, viz. aprotic organic superacids RCOX . 2AlCl(3), are summarised. The literature, concerning the structure of RCOX . AlCl3 a nd RCOX . 2AlCl(3) complexes, the nature of active species in reaction s of arene with acylium salts and RCOX . AlCl3 complexes in acidic and organic media as well as in alkane reactions with acylium salts in pr otic superacids and RCOX . 2AlCl(3) aprotic superacids in organic solv ents, are analysed. The prospects for synthesis of organic compounds f rom alkanes and cycloalkanes under the action of complexes of acylhali des with aluminium halides are considered.