Water → alpha,alpha-Diphenyl-4-pyridinemethanol

Participants

Reaction Steps

Benzophenone (54.6 grams, 0.3 mole) was charged into a 1 liter roundbottom three neck flask equipped with a mechanical stirrer, reflux condenser and dropping funnel. Xylene (300 ml) and sodium metal (16.6 grams, 0.72 mole) cut into small pieces were then added. The flask was heated slowly and refluxed under an inert atmosphere (nitrogen) with mechanical stirring for 30 minutes. 4-cyanopyridine (38.2 grams, 0.37 mole) dissolved in xylene (200 ml) was then added over a period of 1 hour, whereafter the mixture was refluxed for an additional three hours. The reaction mixture was then cooled to room temperature and water (300 ml) was carefully added. The solid was then filtered and washed with water and acetone to give 4-pyridyl diphenyl carbinol (73.1 grams, 93% yield)

Provenance & Evidence