Water → Diphenylmethane

Participants

Reaction Steps

The product from Example 3 A, 5-fluoro-2-methyl-4'-methylsulfinylbenzophenone (0.2 mole), is refluxed in concentrated hydrochloric acid (100 ml.) with zinc amalgam (45 gm.) and water (30 ml.). Hydrogen chloride gas is slowly bubbled in during the reaction. After 2 to 3 hours, the gas supply is stopped and the product steam distilled. The oily distillate is extracted into ether (3 × 300 ml.), washed with water (2 × 50 ml.), dried (MgSO4), filtered and collected by evaporating off the solvent. It is then fractionally distilled under reduced pressure to give pure diphenylmethane.

Provenance & Evidence