Sulfuric Acid → 2-Methoxycyclohexanone

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A 500-ml four-mouth flask equipped with a thermometer, dropping funnel, condenser, and stirrer was charged with 13.0 g (0.1 mol) of (RS)-2-methoxycyclohexanol, 7 g of dichloromethane, and 30 g of 10% aqueous solution of sulfuric acid (30 mmol). The reactants were stirred at 20-25° C. The flask was further charged with 60 g of aqueous solution of sodium hypochlorite containing 12.1% effective chlorine over about 1 hour. Stirring was continued for 30 minutes. The reaction solution was analyzed by gas chromatography to confirm that the peak due to (RS)-2-methoxycyclohexanol had disappeared. The reaction solution was given 2 g of sodium hydrogensulfite with stirring. It was confirmed that the reaction solution did not change potassium iodide starch paper into purple any longer. The reaction solution was extracted twice with 50 g of dichloromethane. The dichloromethane layers were combined together and washed with 30 g of saturated aqueous solution of sodium chloride. Upon concentration and distillation, there was obtained 11.5 g (90 mmol) of (RS)-2-methoxycyclohexanone. The chemical purity of this compound was 99.8%. Incidentally, the dichloromethane used in this example has a partition ratio in water (at 20° C.) greater than 1 and has a solubility in water (40° C.) lower than 5 wt %.

Provenance & Evidence