Hexanal → 3-Decyn-5-ol

Participants

Reaction Steps

Following the procedure of Example 1, but with a pressure equalizing dropping funnel in place of the gas addition tube, 5.2 g. of lithium metal powder and 125 ml. of tetrahydrofuran are added to the flask. 65 g. of ammonia gas is condensed into the slurry with stirring forming a liquid-copper-gold colored lithium ammonia adduct. 190 g. of a mixture containing about 18% 1,2-butadiene, 21% 1,3-butadiene, 4% 1-butyne, 3.3% 2-butyne and about 25% isomeric butenes dissolved in 800 ml. tetrahydrofuran was added over a 70 minute period with stirring while maintaining the temperature at about 50°C. to 60°C. The mixture was refluxed to drive off excess gases and cooled. An aliquot of the product was reacted with 1-hexanal producing 3-decyn-5-ol which by gas chromotograph analysis, establishes a yield of butynyllithium in excess of 90%, based on lithium.

Provenance & Evidence