Iodine → 2-(3-Methylphenyl)acetophenone

Participants

Reaction Steps

A solution of benzonitrile (58.5 g) in anhydrous ether (150 ml) is added dropwise with stirring to Grignard reagent which is prepared from magnesium turnings (14.6 g), a small amount of iodine and m-methylbenzylbromide (100 g) in anhydrous ether (800 ml) at moisture-free atmosphere. The mixture is refluxed for 6 hours. The reaction mixture is decomposed by adding water thereto, and the ether layer is separated and distilled to remove the solvent. The residue is mixed with 10% hydrochloric acid and the mixture is refluxed for 1.5 hours. After cooling, the mixture is extracted with ether. The ether layer is dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and the solvent is distilled off to give crude m-methylbenzyl phenyl ketone (82 g).

Provenance & Evidence