Sodium Hydroxide → (3,4-Bis(difluoromethoxy)phenyl)methanol

Reaction equation

[F:1][CH:2]([F:16])[O:3][C:4]1[CH:5]=[C:6]([CH:9]=[CH:10][C:11]=1[O:12][CH:13]([F:15])[F:14])[CH:7]=[O:8].[BH4-].[Na+].[OH-].[Na+]>C(O)C>[F:1][CH:2]([F:16])[O:3][C:4]1[CH:5]=[C:6]([CH:9]=[CH:10][C:11]=1[O:12][CH:13]([F:15])[F:14])[CH2:7][OH:8]

Participants

Procedure

3,4-Bisdifluoromethoxybenzaldehyde (26.2 g, 110 mmol) in absolute ethanol (150 mL) was treated with sodium borohydride (8.32 g, 220 mmol) under an argon atmosphere at room temperature for 0.5 h. Ten percent aqueous sodium hydroxide (130 mL) was added, the ethanol was removed in vacuo, the mixture was partitioned between ether and water and was extracted twice with ether. The organic extract was dried (magnesium sulfate) and evaporated to a pale yellow oil (26.4 g, 100%).