Isoflurane → Desflurane

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A 1 liter autoclave (316SS, Parr) was charged with 399 g (2.2 moles) isoflurane and 84 g (2.0 moles) of sodium fluoride. The reaction mass was heated to 283° C. without stirring. After 24 hours at 283° C., the pressure was 1160 psi. The autoclave was then cooled to ca. 10° C. and the crude products (228 g) transferred by pouring into a distillation flask. Distillation through a four foot vacuum jacketed column packed with glass beads gave 73.4 g CHF2OCHFCF3. The material remaining in the distillation flask was found by GC analysis to be 99.6% isoflurane. Based on the materials isolated the percent conversion was 20% (31% yield). Details of the distillation are given below.

Provenance & Evidence