Phosphoric Acid → 4,5-Dimethyl-3-hydroxy-2,5-dihydro-2-furanone, (+)-

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Reaction Steps

840 mg of the sodium salt of compound I were dissolved in 50 ml of H2O and brought to pH 2.0 with dilute phosphoric acid. The solution was held at 85° C. for 30 minutes and, after cooling, extracted with 2×50 ml of ethyl acetate. 320 mg (yield 50%) of compound III separated after removal of the solvent. Compound III, purified by preparative thin-layer chromatography (silica gel 60), exhibited an optical rotation of: [α]D20 : 21.66° (c 1.0 in chloroform).

Provenance & Evidence