Water → 1-Nitrotridecane

Reaction equation

[N:1]([O-:3])=[O:2].[Na+].Br[CH2:6][CH2:7][CH2:8][CH2:9][CH2:10][CH2:11][CH2:12][CH2:13][CH2:14][CH2:15][CH2:16][CH2:17][CH3:18].O>CN(C)C=O>[N+:1]([CH2:18][CH2:17][CH2:16][CH2:15][CH2:14][CH2:13][CH2:12][CH2:11][CH2:10][CH2:9][CH2:8][CH2:7][CH3:6])([O-:3])=[O:2]

Participants

Procedure

To a stirred, room temperature suspension of sodium nitrite (227 g, 3.29 mol) in dimethylformamide (3.8 L) was added 1-bromotridecane (514.51 g, 1.95435 mol), and the mixture was stirred for 6 hours. The mixture was poured into cold water (8 L) and extracted with petroleum ether (2×2 L). The organic layer was washed with water (2 L), saturated sodium chloride, dried (MgSO4), and rotoevaporated to a yellow oil. The oil was distilled in vacuo to give another oil; yield 171.9 g, bp 101°-120° C. (0.2 mm Hg). The oil was chromatographed on silica gel (3.0 kg, 230-400 mesh) using ether/ethyl acetate (100:1, 4×2 L; 80:1, 4×2 L; 50:1, 7×2 L) to give a clear colorless oil; yield 109.8 g (24.5%).