Water → 2-Ethyl-2-methyloxazolidine-3-ethanol

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 315 g (3 mols) of diethanolamine, 432 g (6 mols) of methylethylketone, and 100 ml of cyclohexane is stirred and heated to reflux using a Dean-Stark trap to separate the water formed. The mixture is stirred and refluxed for a total of 311/2 hours during which 54 ml of aqueous layer, 85% water and 15% methyl ethyl ketone by NMR, is collected (85% of the theoretical amount of water of reaction). The mixture is then concentrated and the residue distilled to give 373 g (78% yield) of product (MEHEOX), b.p. 85°-88° C./2.5-3.0 mm Hg.

Provenance & Evidence