Water → Idebenone

Participants

Reaction Steps

In methanol (110 l) was dissolved 10-(2-hydroxy-3,4-dimethoxy-6-methylphenyl)decan-1-ol (6.84 kg). To this solution were added sodium acetate (27.4 kg) and water (110 l). To the mixture was then added dipotassium nitrosodisulfonate (23.5 kg, content 69.9%), which was stirred at 50°±3° C. for 3 hours. After confirming disappearance of the starting material by means of thin-layer chromatography, water (550 l) was added to the mixture, which was stirred at 10° C. or below for 30 minutes or longer, then precipitating crystals were separated by centrifuge. Wet crystals thus collected were dissolved in ethyl acetate (40 l), followed by washing with water (25). The ethyl acetate layer was concentrated under reduced pressure to obtain a crude product 6-(10-hydroxydecyl)-2,3-dimethoxy-5-methyl-1,4-benzoquinone (6.70 kg, yield 93.9%). Reference examples using dipotassium nitrosodisulfonate (Fremy's salt) are described in Table 3.

Provenance & Evidence