Sodium Hydroxide → 4-Phenyl-2,3-dihydro-1H-inden-2-ol

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

Under a dry argon atmosphere, a stirred solution of 9 g (0.067 mole) of aluminum chloride in 225 ml of anhydrous diethyl ether was cooled to 0° C. To this was added portionwise 9.4 g (0.245 mole) of lithium aluminum hydride. The cooling bath was removed, and the mixture stirred for 15 minutes. With the temperature being maintained at 25° C., a solution of 47.7 g (0.229 mole) of 1,2-epoxy-4-phenylindane in 175 ml of anhydrous diethyl ether was added dropwise. After complete addition, the mixture was heated at reflux for 18 hours, then cooled to 0° C. Water and an aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide were added to decompose the excess lithium aluminum hydride, and the mixture was filtered. The filter cake was washed with diethyl ether, and the filtrate and washes were combined and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The mixture was filtered, and the filtrate concentrated under reduced pressure to give an oil. The oil was subjected to column chromatography on silica gel, eluting with 98:2 toluene/ethyl acetate followed by 90:10 toluene/ethyl acetate to give 31.5 g of 4-phenyl-2-indanol, mp 72°-76° C. The nmr spectrum was consistent with the proposed structure.

Provenance & Evidence