Dichloromethane → 1-Benzyl-2-methylimidazole-4-carboxaldehyde

Participants

Reaction Steps

A slurry of 9.0 g (0.446 mole) of 1-benzyl-4-hydroxymethyl-2-methylimidazole, 750 ml of methylene chloride and 50.0 g (0.575 mole) of manganese dioxide was stirred at room temperature for two hours. It was then filtered, the filter cake washed with methylene chloride and the combined filtrate and wash solutions evaporated under reduced pressure to give an oil. The oil was taken up in 100 ml of diethyl ether, 100 ml of hexane added and the solution seeded with a few crystals of the title compound. Concentration of the solution under a nitrogen sweep with periodic replacement of hexane afforded a crystalline product which was isolated by filtration: 7.2 g, 81% yield; m.p. 57°-60° C.

Provenance & Evidence