The Etard reaction is a chemical reaction named after its discoverer, Maurice Etard. The correct spelling of this reaction is /e.taʁ ʁe.ak.sjɔ̃/, as per the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The first syllable sounds like the letter "A" followed by "TAHR". The second syllable sounds like "RAY" and the final syllable sounds like "AKSYON". The Etard reaction involves the oxidation of an organic compound by chromyl chloride. This useful reaction has applications in organic synthesis and industrial chemistry.
The Etard reaction is a chemical reaction developed by the French chemist Marcel Étard. It is a versatile oxidation reaction that involves the conversion of a benzene or other aromatic compounds into their corresponding substituted carbonyl compounds. In this reaction, the aromatic compound is treated with a strong oxidizing agent, such as chromyl chloride (CrO2Cl2) or manganese dioxide (MnO2), in the presence of an acidic medium.
During the Etard reaction, the oxidizing agent reacts with the aromatic compound, replacing one or more hydrogen atoms with carbonyl groups. The reaction proceeds through a series of steps, involving the formation of a diazonium salt intermediate, which then undergoes oxidative rearrangement to form the desired product. The reaction can be used to introduce various functional groups, such as aldehydes, ketones, or carboxylic acids, onto the aromatic ring.
The Etard reaction is widely utilized in organic synthesis as a powerful tool for the functionalization of aromatic compounds. It offers an efficient way to access a wide range of valuable carbonyl-containing substances, which are important building blocks in the synthesis of pharmaceuticals, agrochemicals, and other bioactive compounds. The reaction conditions can be fine-tuned to achieve selective oxidation, and it can be applied to both electron-rich and electron-poor aromatic substrates.
The term "Etard reaction" is named after the French chemist Alexandre Etard (1852-1910), who first described this chemical reaction.