Water → 1-(9,10-Dihydroxyoctadecyl)-3,7-dimethylxanthine

Participants

Reaction Steps

A solution of 1-(9-octadecenyl)-3,7-dimethylxanthine (0.15 g, 0.35 mmol), 4-methylmorpholine-N-oxide (49 mg, 0.42 mmol, 1.2 equivalents.) and potassium osmate dihydrate (1 mg) in acetone (4 ml) and water (1 ml) was stirred for 6 hours. A solution of 20% aqueous sodium sulphite (2 ml) was added and stirred for 30 minutes. The reaction mixture was extracted with four 10 ml aliquots of 25% ethanol/dichloromethane. The combined organic extracts were dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, the solvent evaporated under reduced pressure and a residue purified by flash chromatography over silica gel using a methanol(5%)/dichloromethane eluant, yielding 0.65 g of 1-(9,10-dihydroxyoctadecyl)-3,7-dimethylxanthine (40.4% yield).

Provenance & Evidence