Hydrochloric Acid → Diethyl 3-hydroxy-2-(2-methylpropyl)pentanedioate

Participants

Reaction Steps

Sodium borohydride (1.1 g, 29 mmol) was added to an ice-cold solution of diethyl 2-(2-methylpropyl)-3-oxopentanedioate (7.5 g, 29 mmol) in ethanol (75 ml). The mixture was stirred at 5°-10° C. for 2 h, then 2 N hydrochloric acid (18 ml) was added slowly at 0° C., and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 45 min. The mixture was diluted with water (400 ml), then was extracted with ethyl acetate (4×100 ml). The extracts were washed with water (2×100 ml) and brine (100 ml), then were dried (Na2SO4) and evaporated in vacuo to leave the title compound as an oil (7.5 g, 100%).

Provenance & Evidence