Selective Friedel–Crafts Alkylation on a Vermiculite, a Highly Active Natural Clay Mineral with Lewis Acid Sites

Acid-catalyzed Friedel–Crafts alkylation reactions of p-methylbenzyl chloride with benzene were carried out on four unmodified natural clay minerals. Phenyl-p-tolymethane was quickly and selectively formed in the presence of vermiculite. Although the specific surface area of vermiculite is smaller than those of the other clay minerals examined, such a characteristic property of vermiculite as a catalyst may be attributed to the absence of Brønsted acid sites and to the Lewis acid sites on the outer surface of vermiculite.