Dimethyl Sulfoxide → Rac. 2-cyano-4-(5-acetoxy-2-hydroxy-3,4,6,-trimethylphenyl)-butan-2-ol

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Reaction Steps

A solution of 26.4 g. (0.1 mol.) of (±)-6-acetoxy-2-hydroxy-2,5,7,8 -tetramethylchroman in 200 ml. of dimethylsulfoxide was rapidly stirred as 32.5 g. (0.5 mol.) of granular KCN was added by sifting so that a uniformly dispersed suspension was obtained. The resulting mixture was cooled to 15° centigrade as 47.0 ml. of 12N aqueous H 2 SO 4 was added over 1.25 hours as the internal temp. was maintained at 20° centigrade. Tlc at this point showed a major, slower-running spot in addition to traces of starting material. The material was poured into diethylether and H 2 O. The ether solutions were washed with water and brine, dried over NaSO4 and stripped of solvent to yield (±)-2-cyano-4-(5-acetoxy-2-hydroxy-3,4,6-trimethylphenyl) butan-2-ol as a gum.

Provenance & Evidence