Acetic Acid → Benzenamine, 4-chloro-N-ethyl-2-nitro-

Participants

Reaction Steps

4-chloro-2-nitroaniline (8.6 g; 0.05 mole), acetaldehyde (5.5 ml; 0.05 mole) and HOAc (4.0 ml; 0.1 moles) were dissolved in toluene (100 ml) and stirred for 1 hr. BH3 * pyridine (5.0 ml; 0.01 moles) was added in 1.0 ml increments. The reaction was exothermic, and the reaction progress was monitored by tlc (40% EtOAc/Hexane). Additional TFA, BH3 * pyridine and acetaldehyde were added until the tlc indicated that the 4-chloro-2-nitroaniline was consumed. The reaction mixture was washed 2× with water and placed on a bed of silica and eluted with 20% EtOAc/Hexane. The product was the first major component to elute. The product was crystallized from MeOH which produced 5.0 g (50%) of a yellow crystalline solid.

Provenance & Evidence