Iodine → Methyl 4-(1-hydroxyindan-1-yl)-crotonate

Participants

Reaction Steps

A suspension of activated zinc (80 g) in dry tetrahydrofuran (200 ml) was heated to reflux and a few crystals of iodine was added. A solution of 1-indanone (100 g) and methyl 4-bromo-crotonate (200 g) in 500 ml of dry tetrahydrofuran was added dropwise followed by reflux for 1 h. After cooling, ice and aq. ammonium chloride was added followed by extraction with dichloromethane. Removal of the solvent in vacuo gave a viscous oil which was purified on a silica gel column (eluent: dichloromethane/ether =1:1) giving methyl 4-(1-hydroxyindan-1-yl)-crotonate (78 g). A solution of the crotonate (20 g) was dissolved in 200 ml dry ether and added dropwise to a suspension of lithium aluminium hydride (10 g) in 150 ml of dry ether. After reflux for 1 h, the reaction mixture was hydrolyzed with water. Filtration, drying of the ether phase over magnesium sulfate, and removal of solvent in vacuo gave 4-(1-hydroxyindan-1-yl)-1-butanol (18 g) as an oil. The alcohol (16 g) was dissolved in methanol (250 ml) and concentrated hydrochloric acid (40 ml) was added. After stirring for 30 min at room temperature, the reaction mixture was concentrated in vacua. water was added and the mixture extracted with ether. Drying of the ether phase over magnesium sulfate and removal of solvent in vacuo gave a viscous oil which was applied to a silica gel column (eluent: dichloromethane/ether=9:1) giving 4-((1H)inden-3-yl)-1-butanol (1.8 g)

Provenance & Evidence