4-Hydroxybenzaldehyde → 4-Isobutoxybenzaldehyde

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Reaction Steps

A 1000 mL, 1 neck, round-bottomed flask equipped with a magnetic stirrer and reflux condenser is charged with 4-hydroxybenzaldehyde (33.18 g, 0.272 mol), 100 ml of ethanol, and a solution of potassium hydroxide (20.42 g, 0.309 mol) in 100 mL of ethanol. The reaction mixture is heated with stirring for one-half hour. Next 1-iodo-2-methylpropane (100 g, 0.543 mol) is added and the mixture refluxed for 12 hours. After cooling, the solvents are removed by rotary evaporation to yield a brown solid which is added to a separatory funnel containing 500 mL ether and 500 mL of 5% aqueous sodium carbonate. The layers are separated and the aqueous phase is washed with ether (2×500 mL). The combined ether layers are washed with pH 12 sodium hydroxide solution (5×200 mL) until the washes are colorless. The organic solution is then washed with brine (100 mL) and dried over magnesium sulfate. After filtration and removal of the solvents by rotary evaporation, a viscous yellow liquid is obtained. This material is purified by Kugel-Rohr distillation to give 22.3 g (0.125 mol, 46%) of a colorless liquid.

Provenance & Evidence