Hydrochloric Acid → 3-Phenylbutylamine

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 3-phenylbutyraldehyde (3 ml, 20.18 mmol), ammonium acetate (15 g, 195 mmol) and sodium cyanoborohydride (900 mg, 14.32 mmol) in methanol (50 ml) was stirred overnight under an argon atmosphere. The reaction was acidified to pH 2 by the addition of conc HCl. The solvent was evaporated, dichloromethane and water were added, and the aqueous layer was made basic (pH 12) by the addition of solid potassium hydroxide. Extraction (dichloromethane) and concentration gave the title compound as an oil. ES-MS (m/z): 150.2 (M+H)+; 1H NMR (CDCl3): d 7.40-7.17 (m, 5H, Ph), 2.81 (q, 1H, CH), 2.62 (m, 2H, CH2), 1.76 (dq, 2H, CH2), 1.29 (d, 3H, CH3).

Provenance & Evidence