Melatonin → Melatonin Impurity 3

Participants

Reaction Steps

Acetic anhydride (7 ml) is added with stirring to melatonin (500 mg) dissolved in benzene (50 ml). The mixture is heated for 72 h in refluxing benzene. The solvent is evaporated off and the crude product is taken up in water and then neutralized with sodium carbonate solution (pH>8). After extraction (dichloromethane), washing (water) and drying (magnesium sulphate), the crude product is flash-chromatographed (EtOAc eluent). N-[2-(5-Methoxyindol-3-yl)ethyl]diacetamide (4) (300 mg, 50% yield) is obtained.

Provenance & Evidence