• The first step of this reaction is an example of electrophilic aromatic substitution. In the second step the compound regains aromaticity.
• This reaction is easy to control, as the substituent added is an electron withdrawing group, is deactivating and cannot rearrange.
• This method is preferred to Friedel-Crafts Alkylation as the C=O can be removed via a Wolff-Kischner reaction.


References:

• Yeung K.S.; Farkas M.E.; Qiu Z.; Yang Z.; Tetrahedron Letters, 2002, Volume 43, Issue 33, 5793-5795
• Anderson K.W.; Tepe J.J.; Tetrahedron, 2002, Volume 58, Issue 42, 8475-8481