Natural Brazilian clays: Efficient green catalysts for coiodination of styrene

The reaction of styrene with iodine and water or alcohols (ethanol, isopropanol, t-butanol) at room temperature is effectively catalyzed by the natural Brazilian clays F-101 and F-117 to produce 2-iodo-1-phenylethanol (94–96%) or 1-alkoxy-2-iodo-1-phenylethane (74–91%), respectively. The F-117 clay is an interstratified structure with smectite, kaolinite and mica as clay-minerals and F-101 is a smectite clay.