Sodium borohydride → Methyl 2-(1-hydroxyethyl)-5-phenylpentanoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

5.50 g (23.5 mmol) of methyl 2-acetyl-5-phenylpentanoate are introduced into 100 ml of methanol and the mixture is ice-cooled. 0.44 g (11.7 mmol) of sodium borohydride is added in portions and the mixture is stirred for a further 1 h. The solvent is then evacuated from the batch, and the residue is taken up in diethyl ether and washed with 1 N hydrochloric acid. The organic phase is then concentrated again and flash-chromatographed using the eluent petroleum ether/ethyl acetate 10/1.

Provenance & Evidence