Preparation of chiral izobenzofuranes based on 3-carene in the presence of halloysite nanocatalysts

The reaction of a 2-carene containing mixture, obtained by 3-carene isomerization, with 4-methoxybenzalde-hyde in the presence of halloysite nanotubes treated with 5.0 % HCl was studied. The main reaction products are the chiral derivatives of isobenzofuran. Selectivity to these compounds (71.4 %) is comparable to that when only 2-carene is used as a reactant. Thus, the possibility is shown how to use halloysite nanocatalysts for selective production of isobenzofuran compounds based on 3-carene isomerization products (major component of turpentine) without preliminary mixture separation.