Phosphorus oxychloride → Imidazo(1,5-a)pyridine

Participants

Reaction Steps

2-Formamidomethylpyridine (39 g., 0.29 mole) was dissolved in 150 ml. of benzene. Phosphorus oxychloride (100 ml.) was added dropwise at such a rate that the reaction began to reflux. By external heating, reflux was maintained for 3.5 hours. After standing approximately 16 hours at room temperature, the reaction was concentrated to an oil. The oil was poured onto approximately 300 g. of ice, the mixture made basic (approximately pH 10) with 10 N sodium hydroxide, and extracted with three 300 ml. portions of methylene chloride. The aqueous was made more basic and extracted with a further three 300 ml. portions of methylene chloride. All of the extracts were combined, back-washed with 75 ml. of water and concentrated to yield crystalline imidazo[3,4-a]pyridine (29 g., Rf 0.25 on thin layer chromatography on silica gel with ethylene acetate/5% acetic acid as eluant).

Provenance & Evidence