Methyl iodide → (+/-) 5,5-Diethoxycarbonyl-1-methyl-4-phenyl-pyrrolidin-2-one

Participants

Reaction Steps

A solution of 100 g (0.33 mole) of (±) 5,5-diethoxycarbonyl-4-phenylpyrrolidin-2-one in 500 ml of absolute dimethylformamide was added dropwise to a suspension of 9.64 g (0.36 mole) of sodium hydride in 200 ml of absolute dimethylformamide at room temperature under an N2 atmosphere. The mixture was subsequently stirred at room temperature until the evolution of gas had ended, a solution of 93.7 g (0.66 mole) of methyl iodide in 50 ml of absolute dimethylformamide was then added and the mixture was stirred at room temperature until all the starting material had reacted (about 1 hour, thin layer chromatography check). The reaction mixture was poured into 2 l of buffer solution, pH=7, and extracted five times with 600 ml of diethyl ether each time.

Provenance & Evidence