Formaldehyde → 3-hydroxymethyl-5-(4-pyridinyl)-2(1H)-pyridinone

Participants

Reaction Steps

The reaction of 5-(4-pyridinyl)-2(1H)-pyridinone with excess formaldehyde at an acidic pH to produce 3-hydroxymethyl-5-(4-pyridinyl)-2(1H)-pyridinone is carried out by heating the reactants at about 75° to 125° C. It is preferably run using an acidic pH of about 2.0 to 5.0, a large molar excess of formaldehyde and a reaction temperature of about 90° to 110° C. The quantity of formaldehyde can vary widely provided it is in excess of said 5-(4-pyridinyl)-2(1H)-pyridinone. In practice, a large excess, e.g., from about 10-fold to 100-fold or greater can be used; however, as little as a 2-fold excess or less of formaldehyde can be used although the reaction time is longer. Because of its ready availability and low cost, 37% aqueous formaldehyde solution is preferred.

Provenance & Evidence