Eugenol → Isoeugenol

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 20 g. of crude clove oil containing about 80% of eugenol and 50 mg. of osmium trichloride is heated for 41/4 hours to 135° C. After distillation, a fraction weighing 13.3 g. and containing, (as determined by gas-liquid chromatography) 5.5% of cis-isoeugenol and 94.5% of trans-isoeugenol is obtained. The yield is 83%, based on the eugenol originally present in the clove oil.

Provenance & Evidence