Hydrogen Bromide → L-Proline ethylamide

40 ml. of 36% hydrogen bromide in acetic acid was added to 11 grams of a solution of benzyloxycarbonyl proline ethylamide in 10 ml. of acetic acid. After 1 hour 300 ml. of ether was added to the reaction solution, so resulting in the separation of a non-crystalline hydrobromide. The hydrobromide was dried for 2 hours in desiccator over phosphorus pentoxide and sodium hydroxide, and then suspended in 60 ml. of a saturated amoniacal solution of chloroform at 0 degrees C. The resultant suspension was permitted to stand at 3 degrees C. for 20 minutes and then filtered, the filtrate being evaporated. 5.7 g of a non-crystalline product was obtained. Rf 0.25/S1 ; 0.56/S2.