Ethanol → 3,4-Dimethylbenzene-1,2-diamine

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a 125 mL round bottom flask 2.20 g of 2,3-dimethyl-6-nitro-aniline (13.2 mmol) was added. Then 15 mL of ethanol was added to the flask followed by the addition of 4 mL of 20 wt % NaOH in water. Then 2.0 g of zinc dust was added to the flask. The flask was fitted with a condenser and was left to reflux with stirring. After about 0.5 hours the mixture became very pale-brown. After refluxing for 18 hours the mixture was filtered hot to give a pale filtrate which quickly became dark red. C8H12N2, fw=136.19. Yield 1.78 g, 98.7%. Mp: 60° C. (melt). 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): δ 6.54 (s, 2H), 3.46 (br s, 2H), 3.21 (br s, 2H), 2.22 (s, 3H), 2.11 (s, 3H). Rf=0.68 (ethyl acetate/silica).

Provenance & Evidence