Hydrochloric Acid → 9-Methylfluorene

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A mixture of fluorene (78.3 g) and THF (700 mL) was cooled down to −70° C., and n-BuLi (300 mL, corresponding to 0.48 mol) was dropwise added thereto while maintaining −60° C. or lower. Then, methyl iodide (66.8 g) was added, and the temperature was allowed to slowly go back to a room temperature. The mixture was cooled again down to 0° C. to add 3M-hydrochloric acid (300 mL), and the reaction mixture was extracted with toluene. The organic layer obtained was washed well in order with saturated sodium hydrogencarbonate, saturated sodium hydrogensulfite and water, and then dried on anhydrous magnesium sulfate. The solvent was distilled off from this organic layer under reduced pressure, and the residue was purified by means of column chromatography (silica gel, eluting solvent: toluene/heptane [40/60]) and recrystallization (ethanol) to obtain 9-methylfluorene (57.4 g) of pale yellow crystal. Melting point: 47.3-48.8° C.

Provenance & Evidence