Sodium Carbonate → (+-)-Norketamine

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a mixture of norketamine (0.05 g, 0.22 mmol) in anhydrous toluene (2 mL) and Na2CO3 (0.082 g) was added a solution of para-nitrophenyl chloroformate (0.129 g, 0.64 mmol) in anhydrous toluene (2 mL). After heating for 8 hours at 85° C., the reaction mixture was cooled to room temperature and filtered. Toluene was evaporated under vacuum and the reaction mixture was diluted with dichloromethane (DCM). The DCM layer was washed 6 times with 50% aqueous NaHCO3 solution to remove the para-nitrophenol side-product and then with brine. The DCM layer was then dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, filtered, concentrated under vacuum to afford the para-nitrophenoxycarbamate of norketamine as a pale solid. 1H-NMR (CDCl3): δ 8.17 (2H, dd), 7.87 (1H, d), 7.37 (3H, m) 7.23 (2H, dd), 3.84 (1H, d), 2.55-1.71 (8H).

Provenance & Evidence