Reaction of N-phenoxyphthalimide derivatives with aluminum chloride in benzene
N-Phenoxyphthalimides react with AlCl3 in benzene to form products of intramolecular N-C and inter molecular C-C bond formation via aryloxenium ion intermediates. N-Phenoxy derivatives having an electron-withdrawing substituent on the para position react with solvent benzene on the imide carbonyl, assisted by the neighboring oxygen atom, to produce N-(4-substituted phenoxy)-3,3-diphenyl-2,3-dihydroisoindol-1-ones.