Formic Acid → (E)-3-formylbut-2-enyl acetate

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Reaction Steps

48.8 parts of 1,1,4-triacetoxy-2-methyl-but-2-ene, having the isomer composition stated in Example 1, 400 parts of formic acid and 10.8 parts of water are boiled for 3 hours. After stripping off the formic acid and water on a rotary evaporator, fractional distillation of the residue gives 21.5 parts of 4-acetoxy-2-methylcrotonaldehyde (75.6% of theory) of boiling point 102°-105° C./21 mbar (nD20 =1.4642). According to NMR analysis, the aldehyde obtained consists of 98.3% (E)- and 1.7% (Z)-4-acetoxy-2-methylcrotonaldehyde.

Provenance & Evidence