Heteropolyacids such as molybdophosphoric and tungstophosphoric acids, supported over silica, readily induce cyclodimerisation reactions of styrenes and stilbenes affording a mixture of indane and/or tetraline derivatives with remarkably high efficiency and in reduced reaction time.

The catalytic performance of tungstophosphoric and molybdophosphoric acids supported on two commercial carbons, for dehydration reactions of several alcohols, was studied. The alcohol conversion depended on their molecular size, while selectivity to alkenes was also related to cyclodimer molecular size formed by certain alkenes in acidic medium. Acidity and mean pore diameter of the catalysts showed an influence on the conversion degree of the alcohols into alkenes and also into alkene cyclodimerization.

A natural dimer of asarone and several analogues were obtained by acid-catalysed cyclodimerisation of styrenes and by formal [3+2] cycloaddition. A study of the influence of the aromatic ring substitution pattern on the stereochemistry of the reactions was carried out.