Polystyrene-divinylbenzene (4%) copolymer beads is combined with antimony pentachloride in chloroform to form a complex containing 5.7% of chlorine (corresponding to 3.21×10-4 mol SbCl5/lg. complex beads). The complex is a strong solid Lewis acid. The SbCl5 complexed in the polystyrene is stable in air and can be stored for at least one year.The SbCl5 supported by polystyrene can be used to catalyze a lot of organic synthesis reactions in higher yield
such as esterifications
acetalations
ketal formations
etherications and the Friedel-Crafts alkylations. The complex catalyst can be used repeatedly a few times with higher yield.