Alkylation of aromatic substrates with methanol on heteropolyoxometalate

The alkylation of aromatic substrates with methanol has been studied on potassium substituted salts of 12-phosphotungstic acid. Substitution at ring positions appears to be the predominant route. Among the potassium substituted salts, the salt containing K2.5 is the most active probably because of higher strength of Bronsted acid sites on this system. Mechanistic details of this reaction are discussed.