Hydrochloric Acid → 2,6-Dimethyl-2-(2-methyl-allyl)-cyclohexanone

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

2,6-Dimethyl-cyclohexanone (1 kg, 4 mol), trimethyl orthoformate (TMOF, 880 g), and methanol (800 mL) were charged to a 5 L reaction flask. HCl was added quickly. Reaction exothermed and the temperature increased from 14° C. to 20° C. The reaction mixture was heated to 60° C. and aged for 7 hours. When the reaction was about 75% complete, the reaction mixture was quenched with NaOCH3 (25%, 25 g), heated to 90° C., and applied to a Dean-Stark trap. The reaction mixture was then cooled to room temperature followed by sequential addition of methallyl alcohol (1.25 Kg, 8.5 moles), HOAc (50 g), and methane sulfonic acid (MSA, 10 g). The resulting mixture was heated to 110° C., applied to a Bidwell-Sterling trap, and aged for 4 hours until gas chromatograph analysis indicated that the reaction was 95% completed. The reaction mixture was then cooled and washed with saturated sodium carbonate solution (3 L) to provide the crude product 2,6-dimethyl-2-(2-methyl-allyl)-cyclohexanone.

Provenance & Evidence