Ammonium Hydroxide → (-)-3-acetyl-N-methylmorphinan

Participants

Reaction Steps

(-)-3-Acetyl-N-methylmorphinan d-tartrate, 4.30 g was suspended in 20 ml water and made basic with concentrated ammonium hydroxide. The resulting suspension was extracted with ether (2×40 ml). The ether extracts were washed with water and dried over magnesium sulfate. Removal of the solvent gave 2.8 g (99%) of (-)-3-acetyl-N-methylmorphinan. For analysis, a sample of this compound was distilled, bp 175°-185° (0.2 mm), [α]25D-47.14° (c 1.17, MeOH).

Provenance & Evidence