The nitration of 3,4,5-tribromo-2,6-dimethylphenol; X-ray crystal structures of C 2-epimeric 3,4,5-tribromo-6-hydroxy-2,6-dimethyl-2,5-dinitrocyclohex-3-enones ;an unusual isomerization reaction

Abstract

Nitration of 3,4,5-tribromo-2,6-dimethylphenol (10) with fuming nitric acid in acetic acid gives the C2-epimeric 2,5-dinitrocyclohex-3-enones (11) and (12), the structures of which were determined by single-crystal X-ray analyses. Some implications of these structural data are discussed.