1,2,4-Trimethylbenzene → 2-Ethyl-4-methyl-5-(4-methylphenyl)-4-pentenal

Participants

Reaction Steps

The 1-[1-(2-butenyloxy)-2-methyl-2-propenyl]-4-methylbenzene (50.12 g, 0.232 mol), [RuCl2(PPh3)3] (400 mg), BHT (50 mg) and pseudo-cumene (60 ml) were heated together in an autoclave placed in an oil bath at 180° C. for 5 hours. After cooling to room temperature, the pseudo-cumene was distilled off (40° C./5 mbar) and the residue chromatographed on silica gel (eluent: heptanes/ethyl acetate 50:1 to 25:1), then distilled under vacuum through a 20-cm Widmer column. 18.1 g of the desired product were obtained (yield=36%). B.P.=80° C./0.001 mbar

Provenance & Evidence