Chloroacetone → 1-(Triphenylphosphoranylidene)acetone

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A solution of 1-chloropropan-2-one (50 g, 540.4 mmol) in chloroform (150 mL) was added dropwise to a solution of triphenylphosphine (141.72 g, 540.4 mmol) in chloroform (150 mL) under nitrogen. The mixture was stirred at 70° C. for 12 hr, and the resulting phosphonium salt was filtered. The precipitate was washed with ethyl acetate and dried under vacuum. The dried phosphonium salt was suspended in a mixture of water (250 mL) and methanol (250 mL), and the mixture was stirred for 1 hr. Aqueous sodium hydroxide (2.00 M) was added to the mixture until a pH between 7 and 8 was reached. The mixture was then stirred vigorously for 1 hr. The phosphorane precipitate was filtered and washed with water. After drying in vacuum, the phosphorane was recrystallized from ethyl acetate and dried under vacuum to afford 1-(triphenylphosphoranylidene)propan-2-one (40.00 g, 23.3%) as a white solid.

Provenance & Evidence