Sodium borohydride → 2-(3,4-Difluorophenyl)ethan-1-ol

Participants

Reaction Steps

Into a 1 liter three-necked flask equipped with a stirrer, 33.29 g (213 mmol) of (3,4-difluorophenyl) acetaldehyde and 426 ml of ethanol were charged, to which 8.85 g (234 mmol) of sodium borohydride were added, and the mixture was stirred overnight. Ethanol was distilled off, and 1N hydrochloric acid and ether were added. An organic layer and an aqueous layer were separated, the aqueous layer was extracted with ether, the extract combined with the organic layer was dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate. The desiccating agent was filtered off, the solvent was distilled off and condensed, the concentrate was purified by vacuum distillation to obtain 17.59 g (52%, bp 110-121° C./16-22 Torr.) of the title compound as oily product.

Provenance & Evidence