Formaldehyde → HCID 178483212, compound

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Reaction Steps

To a stirred solution of 1,2-bis-(dimethylaminomethyl) ferrocene (Example 1, 0.70 g, 2.32 mmol) in diethyl ether (15 cm3) under argon is added 1.2 equivalents n-butyl lithium (Aldrich, 1.75 mL, 1.6M in diethyl ether) and the mixture stirred for three hours to yield a red solution. The reaction mixture is cooled in a dry ice/acetone bath, calcined paraformaldehyde added in 2:1 excess, and the resultant mixture stirred at room temperature overnight. The mixture is quenched with water and extracted with diethyl ether. The ethereal extracts are dried over MgSO4, filtered over celite and the solvent removed in vacuo, to yield the title compound (0.7 g, 2.12 mmol, 91%) as an orange oil, which partially crystallized on cooling.

Provenance & Evidence