Sulfuric Acid → 1-Phenyl-1,2-ethanediol

Participants

Reaction Steps

A 2 l stirrer fitted with reflux condenser, thermometer and dropping funnel was charged with 600 g of 0.1% strength H2SO4 and 2 g of tetrabutylammonium hydrogensulfate, and then, at 20° C. to 25° C., 200 g (1.67 mol) of styrene oxide (2) were added over the course of 1 h. When the dropwise addition was complete, the mixture was then stirred for 2 h and then worked up. 200 ml of diethyl ether were added to the reaction mixture, and the organic phase was washed until neutral with sodium carbonate solution and water, and dried over Na2SO4, and the solvent was distilled off under reduced pressure, leaving 223 g of crude product (91% pure according to GC).

Provenance & Evidence