Methyl 5-oxo-1-(propan-2-yl)pyrrolidine-3-carboxylate → 4-(Hydroxymethyl)-1-(propan-2-yl)pyrrolidin-2-one

Participants

Reaction Steps

92.5 g (0.5 mol) of 4-carbomethoxy-1-isopropyl-pyrrolidone in 1.2 l of ethanol were hydrogenated in the presence of about 50 g of Raney-Nickel for 48 hours at 160° - 180° C under a hydrogen pressure of 200 atmospheres. Then it was determined with the aid of thin layer chromatography (CHCl3 /C2H5OH= 95:5) if the reduction was finished. Otherwise 20 g of Raney-Nickel were added again and hydrogenated for another 24 hours. In most of the tests hydrogenation had finished after this time.

Provenance & Evidence