Chloral Hydrate → 4-methyl-N-(2,2,2-trichloro-1-hydroxyethyl)benzamide

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of p-toluamide (11.0 g, 81.3 mmol) and 2,2,2-trichloro-1,1-ethanediol (16.6 g, 100 mmol) in benzene (175 mL) was stirred at reflux in a Soxhlet extraction device charged with molecular sieves (20 g). After 12 hours, the extraction thimble of molecular sieves was replaced with a fresh portion of molecular sieves (20 g), and the reaction was allowed to heat at reflux for an additional 12 hours. Concentration in vacuo provided a heavy syrup which was dissolved in ethyl acetate (15 mL) and diluted with hexanes (175 mL). Refrigeration at 8° C. facilitated precipitation of a white solid that was collected by filtration and washed with hexanes to provide 20.2 g of the desired product.

Provenance & Evidence