Acetophenone → 1-Phenylethanol, (R)-

Participants

Reaction Steps

Acetophenone (200 ml, 1.5 mol) was charged to the catalyst solution, followed by 2-propanol (0.5 l). The pressure was reduced (28.5 mmHg) and then a sodium 2-propoxide solution (120 ml of 0.1M solution in 2-propanol) was charged. The mixture was stirred at ambient temperature under nitrogen for 2.5 h, at hourly intervals the flask was back filled with nitrogen and sufficient 2-propanol charged to compensate for the volume removed by distillation. This gave (R)-1-phenylethanol Yield 99.6%, ee 82.9%. The turnover number, integrated over 1 h, was 454 h−1.

Provenance & Evidence