Water → 1,2-Diphenylethanol

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a stirring suspension of 1.20 g of lithium aluminum hydride in 100 mL of diethyl ether under an argon atmosphere at 0° C. Is slowly added a solution of 5.50 g of commercially available deoxybenzoin in 25.0 mL of diethyl ether. After 0.5 hours the grey suspension is warmed to room temperature. After 1 hour the reaction mixture is re-cooled to 0° C. and slowly treated with 1.25 mL of water followed by 5.50 mL of 1N sodium hydroxide. After 0.5 hour the resulting white precipitant is filtered through a pad of magnesium sulfate with diethyl ether washings. The filtrate is concentrated under reduced pressure to afford 5.50 g of the title product as off-white crystals. This product may be used directly in the next reaction without further purification.

Provenance & Evidence