Dimerizations of 2-bromo-3-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone and 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone in tetra-n-butylammonium bromide

2-Bromo-3-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone and 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone are highly reactive species known to dimerize in various ways. The product obtained in the dimerization of each compound is primarily dependent upon the solvent used. Ionic liquids represent a new class of solvents having non-molecular (ionic) character. Replacement of a conventional organic solvent with an ionic solvent frequently changes the mechanism of a reaction. In this study, reactions of 2-bromo-3-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone and 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone in ionic liquids were examined. Dimerization of 2-bromo-3-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone or 2-methyl-1,4-naphthoquinone with N-methylcyclohexylamine in tetra-n-butylammonium bromide (TBAB), an ionic liquid, under an aerobic atmosphere afforded 5,7,12,14-pentacenetetrone and 1-methylKuQuinone, respectively. The use of TBAB as a solvent improved the yields of the products as compared with previously reported methods. The mechanism of each dimerization was also investigated.