Hydrochloric Acid → 6-Hydroxymethylindole

Participants

Reaction Steps

Lithium aluminium hydride (3.48 g, 91.70 mmol) was suspended in sodium-dried tetrahydrofuran (150 ml). The suspension was stirred under a nitrogen atmosphere. Methyl-(indol-6-yl)methanoate (8.0 g, 45.7 mmol) was dissolved in dry tetrahydrofuran (50 ml) and added dropwise to the lithium aluminium hydride suspension. The mixture was stirred at ambient temperature for three hours. Water (10 ml) was added dropwise, followed by 2N hydrogen chloride (30 ml). The mixture was extracted with diethyl ether (3×150 ml) to yield a light purple oil.

Provenance & Evidence