Sodium Hydroxide → 5-Methylhexanoic acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

In 20 ml of ethanol was dissolved 2.0 g of ethyl 5-methylhexanoate. After adding 10 ml of 2 mol/L aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide at ambient temperature, the resulting mixture was stirred for 30 minutes. The ethanol was distilled off under reduced pressure, the residue was poured into a mixture of water and chloroform, pH was adjusted to 1.0 with 2 mol/L hydrochloric acid, and the organic layer was separated. The organic layer was washed successively with water and saturated aqueous solution of sodium chloride and dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, and the solvent was distilled off under reduced pressure. Diisopropyl ether was added to the residue, and the deposited crystal was collected by filtration. Thus, 1.56 g of 5-methylhexanoic acid was obtained as a colorless oily product.

Provenance & Evidence