Vanadium (V) In Perchloric Acid : A Novel Use Of The Reagent For Dimerisation Of Some Naphthalene Derivatives

Oxidative dimerisation of 2-naphthol and its methyl ether into the respective 1, 1'-dimers was achieved in good yield and excellent purity through a one-step method using ammonium metavanadate and dilute perchloric acid. 1-Naphthol gave a mixture of isomeric dimers, although its methyl ether was converted almost quantitatively into the corresponding 4, 4'-dimer. This reagent could also dimerise 2-hydroxy-1, 4-naphthoquinone, a natural product.