Question

QUESTIONS 1. What is the purpose of the sulfuric acid (yes, it's a catalyst, but why is it a catalyst? What is it doing that makes the reaction possible? Would the reaction just go slower without it, or would the reaction not go at all? Why?) 2. If isobutyl alcohol (2 methyl propanol) is used instead of tert butyl alcohol, a mixture of products is obtained. One the products is the same as the product obtained with the tert butyl alcohol (ie. 1,4 di tert butyl 2, 5 dimethoxybenzene). Draw a mechanism that shows how the reaction between 1,4 dimethoxybenzene and isobutyl alcohol produces 1,4 di tert butyl 2,5 dimethoxybenzene. 3. Is this reaction endothermic or exothermic? What step in the procedure would lead you to suspect the reaction is endo or exothermic? Why? 4. Look at the structures of dimethoxybenzene and the product. What is the most obvious difference between them that should be very obvious in NMR? 5. If trifluoromethyl benzene were used as the reactant instead of 1, 4 dimethoxybenzene, would the Friedel-Crafts reaction take place? Explain, based on its chemistry, why trifluoromethyl benzene would or would not work in the reaction.