Benzene → 3-Chloro-2-methylbiphenyl

Participants

Reaction Steps

During a 45 minute period 3-chloro-2-methylaniline (141.6 g, 1.0 mole) was added to a stirred solution of isoamyl nitrite (175.6 g, 1.5 moles) in benzene (842 g, 10.0 moles). The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for two hours, heated at reflux for one hour, then cooled to room temperature. Approximately 2 l of n-heptane was added to the reaction mixture. Most of the solvents were distilled from the mixture under reduced pressure, followed by distillation at atmospheric pressure (until a head temperature of 95° was reached). The pot residue was dissolved in 2 l of n-heptane and the solution filtered through 250 g of silica gel. The filtrate was subjected to column chromatography on 250 g of silica gel, elution with n-heptane, to give an oil. The oil was rechromatographed on 250 g of silica gel, elution with n-heptane, to give an oil. The oil was distilled in a Kugelrohr distillation apparatus (90°/0.05 mm) to give 3-chloro-2-methyl-[1,1'-biphenyl] (23.5 g) as an oil.

Provenance & Evidence