1-Benzyl-4-ethoxycarbonyl-4-methyl-3-pyrrolidone → 1-Benzyl-4-methylpyrrolidin-3-one

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 48.0 g (0.184 mole) of 1-benzyl-4-ethoxycarbonyl-4-methyl-3-pyrrolidone [prepared as described in Step (3) above] and 80 ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid was heated under reflux for 24 hours. The reaction mixture was then filtered, and the filtrate was concentrated by evaporation under reduced pressure. The residue was diluted with water and made alkaline by adding a 50% w/v aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide to pH 10, after which it was extracted with diethyl ether. The diethyl ether extract was dried and the solvent was then distilled from the extract under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by column chromatography through silica gel eluted with a 2.5:7.5 by volume mixture of ethyl acetate and toluene, to give 31.7 g of 1-benzyl-4-methyl-3-pyrrolidone as a red oil.

Provenance & Evidence