Sodium sulfide nonahydrate → 5-(tert-Butyl)-2-methoxy-3-nitroaniline

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Reaction Steps

To a suspension of 5-tert-butyl-2-methoxy-1,3-dinitrobenzene (10.2 g, 0.04 mol) in EtOAc (150 mL) was added in a single portion a solution of sodium sulfide nonahydrate (19.2 g, 0.08 mol) in water (200 mL). Aliquate 336 (0.8 g, 5 mole %) was added in a single portion, and the two-phase mixture was brought to a reflux. All solids dissolved, and the mixture became red/brown. After about 3 h, TLC (3:1 hexanes:EtOAc) revealed almost complete loss of starting material. The mixture was filtered warm through a pad of diatomaceous earth to remove insolubles, and the filter cake was washed with fresh EtOAc. The clarified two-phase mixture was separated, and the organic layer was washed with sodium carbonate solution, followed by water and then saturated sodium chloride solution. After drying over magnesium sulfate, the solution was concentrated under reduced pressure to a thick, dark oil. This oil was extracted three times with refluxing hexanes, leaving behind a dark residue. The orange extract deposited some more dark oil, from which the warm supernatant was decanted. The resulting orange solution was heated back to reflux, and treated with both activated charcoal and diatomaceous earth. The solution was filtered hot, and the filter cake washed with hot hexanes. Re-heating the orange filtrate resulted in a clear solution. Quickly cooling the solution in an ice/acetone bath and scratching the flask with a glass rod resulted in the deposition of an orange/yellow precipitate. The suspension was allowed to cool for 1 h, and then filtered. The filter cake was washed with a small portion of cold hexanes, and then dried on the filter, providing the title compound as a yellow/orange powder (2.6 g, 30%).

Provenance & Evidence