Formaldehyde → 4-(1-Methylethyl)-1H-imidazole-5-methanol

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 4-isopropylimidazole-5-carboxylic acid (1.54 g, 0.01 mol), calcium oxide (0.56 g, 0.01 mol) and ~37% aqueous formaldehyde solution (4 ml) is heated at 70°-80° C. for 3 hours, with stirring. After completion of the reaction, the solvent is stripped off, and the residue is extracted with acetone. The acetone extract is concentrated, and the resultant residue is recrystallized from ethyl acetate and filtered to give 4-isopropyl-5-hydroxymethylimidazole as a solid, m.p. 125°-127° C.

Provenance & Evidence