Hydrogen Cyanide → Carvone, (+-)-

Participants

Reaction Steps

1379.4 g (9 mol) of R-(−)-carvone (5-isoprenyl-2-methylcyclohex-2-enone) with a purity of 98% (5-isoprenyl-2-methylcyclohex-2-enone) were heated in a 4000 ml glass flask to approx. 150° C. with stirring. At 144° C., 18.4 g of 30% sodium methoxide in water (0.1 mol) were added and then a mixture of 1287.9 g (8.4 mol) of 98% R-(−)-carvone (5-isoprenyl-2-methylcyclohex-2-enone) and 330.5 g (12.15 mol) of hydrogen cyamide (HCN) was added dropwise at 136-148° C. with stirring within 8 h. The postreaction time was approx. one hour. Subsequently, the HCN conversion was checked, and was 99.5%. The entire raw output weighed 3014 g and had a dark red color. The raw output was distilled through a Vigreux column. The first fraction recovered was unconverted carvone (approx. 900 g), and, after a mixed fraction (147.5 g), 1809.8 g of carvonenitrile were obtained with a purity of 98-99% (gas chromatography).

Provenance & Evidence