Water → Hydrochloric Acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

A solution of anhydrous hydrogen chloride in ethanol was prepared by slow addition of acetyl chloride (100 mL) to anhydrous ethanol (500 mL), followed by stirring at room temperature for one hour. 3 (44 g) was added and the solution stirred for one hour. Water (1 L) was added and the solution extracted with methylene chloride (3×). The solvent was removed on a rotovap and the residue dissolved in ethanol. Activated charcoal was added and the mixture stirred for approximately half an hour after which it was filtered through celite. The solvent was then removed on a rotovap. The residue was dissolved in ethanol/water (50:50) (200 mL). Formic acid was added (16 g) followed by 10% palladium/carbon (2.7 g). The solution was warmed to 60° C. and stirred until evolution of gas had ceased. The mixture was filtered through celite. The filtrate was neutralized with aqueous sodium bicarbonate until samples diluted with water were neutral (pH˜7) by analysis with pH paper. The solvent was then removed on a rotovap. Residual water and salt were removed by filtration and azeotropic distillation with ethanol (2×), yielding crude 4 as a yellow oil (33 g).

Provenance & Evidence