Iodine → 6,10-Dimethyl-1,5,9-undecatriene

Participants

Reaction Steps

Magnesium turnings (51 g., 2.1 mole) were suspended in 1700 ml. of ether and activated with a crystal of iodine. Allyl chloride (153 g., 2.0 mole) in 200 ml. of ether was added dropwise so as to maintain the mixture at reflux temperature throughout the addition. The mixture was refluxed for an additional 2 hours, then a solution of technical 82% pure geranyl chloride (210 g., 1.05 mole) in 200 ml. of ether was added dropwise at reflux temperature. The mixture was stirred for 2 hours at room temperature, then it was cooled down to 10° and slightly acidified with 20% aqueous acetic acid. The mixture was extracted with ether. The extracts were neutralised with 10% NaOH, washed with water, dried as usual and concentrated. The residue gave 217 g. of crude triene as a light yellow liquid the purity of which was 80% according to vapour phase chromatography; it was used without further purification.

Provenance & Evidence