Acetic anhydride preparation

Certain features of the addition of acetyl nitrate to olefins in acetic anhydride may be relevant to the mechanism of aromatic nitration by this reagent. The rapid reaction results in predominantly cw-addition to yield a mixture of the y -nitro-acetate and y5-nitro-nitrate. The reaction was facilitated by the addition of sulphuric acid, in which case the 3rield of / -nitro-nitrate was reduced, whereas the addition of sodium nitrate favoured the formation of this compound over that of the acetate. As already mentioned ( 5.3. i), a solution of nitric acid (c. i 6 mol 1 ) in acetic anhydride prepared at — 10 °C would yield 95-97 % of the nitric acid by precipitation with urea, whereas from a similar solution prepared at 20-25 °C and cooled rapidly to —10 °C only 30% of the acid could be recovered. The difference between these values was attributed to the formation of acetyl nitrate. A solution prepared at room... 

In solutions of acetyl nitrate in acetic anhydride, prepared from purified nitric acid, the 0 -ratio increases slightly with increasing concentrations of acetyl nitrate (table 5.7, expts. 11,13,16). The use of fuming nitric acid in the preparation of the acetyl nitrate considerably accelerates the rates of reaction and also increases the proportion of o-substitution (table 5.7, expts. 12, 15, 18). These effects resemble, but are much stronger than the corresponding effects in nitrations with solutions of nitric acid in acetic acid contaimng dinitrogen tetroxide. 

In an integrated continuous process, cellulose reacts with acetic anhydride prepared from the carbonylation of methyl acetate with carbon monoxide. The acetic acid Hberated reacts further with methanol to give methyl acetate, which is then carbonylated to give additional acetic anhydride (100,101). 

Solutions required. Acetic anhydride. Prepare 250 mL of a 2.0M solution in ethyl acetate containing 4.0 g of 72 per cent perchloric acid. The solution is made by adding 4.0 g (2.35 mL) of 72 per cent perchloric acid to 150 mL of ethyl acetate in a 250 mL graduated flask. Pipette 8.0 mL of acetic anhydride... 

Bordwell and Garbisch71 contested this conclusion since they found that nitric acid in acetic anhydride prepared at —10 °C contained a much less effective nitrating species (the nitric acid could be recovered quantitatively) than when mixed at 25 °C and cooled to —10 °C (the nitric acid being then mostly unrecoverable). Further, these latter solutions reacted with alkenes to give predominantly cis addition products (nitro-acetates), whi h indicates association of the nitronium ion with some other species. It has been argued72 that this does not necessarily follow, since nitration of aromatics may involve a different... 

Stirring with a freshly prepared 10% solution of fluoroboric acid in acetic anhydride (prepared under nitrogen at —40°). After the resulting suspension has been stirred for 20 min. the white precipitate is collected on a sintered glass funnel (medium porosity) under vacuum and washed thoroughly with three 75-ml. portions of ether. The product is then dissolved in a minimal amount of boiling acetone (ro., 300 ml.) and cooled in a... 

It should be emphasised that salicylic acid can be readily acetylated by Method 1, and that the above preparation of acetylsalicyclic acid is given solely as an illustration of Method 2. To employ Method 1, add 10 g. of salicylic acid to 20 ml. of a mixture of equal volumes of acetic anhydride and acetic acid, and boil gently under reflux for 30 minutes. Then pour into about 200 ml. of cold water in order to precipitate the acetylsalicylic acid (11 g.) and finally recrystallise as above. Method 2, however, gives the purer product. 

It should be emphasised that whereas the interaction of a sodium salt and an acid chloride is a convenient general laboratory method for preparing all classes of anhydrides, acetic anhydride is prepared on a large scale by other and cheaper methods. Industrial processes are based on reactions indicated by the equations ... 

Carry out this preparation precisely as described for the a-compound, but instead of zinc chloride add 2 5 g. of anhydrous powdered sodium acetate (preparation, p. 116) to the acetic anhydride. When this mixture has been heated on the water-bath for 5 minutes, and the greater part of the acetate has dissolved, add the 5 g. of powdered glucose. After heating for I hour, pour into cold water as before. The viscous oil crystallises more readily than that obtained in the preparation of the a-compound. Filter the solid material at the pump, breaking up any lumps as before, wash thoroughly with water and drain. (Yield of crude product, io o-io 5 g.). Recrystallise from rectified spirit until the pure -pentacetylglucose is obtained as colourless crystals, m.p- 130-131° again two recrystallisations are usually sufficient for this purpose. 

Cinnamic acid is usually prepared by Perkin s reaction, benzaldehyde being heated with sodium acetate in the presence of acetic anhydride. It is probable that the benzaldehyde and the acetic anhydride combine under the catalytic action of the sodium acetate, and the product then readily loses water to give mono-benzylidene acetic anhydride (. ). The latter, when subsequently... 

Coumarin is usually prepared by heating salicylaldehyde with acetic anhydride and sodium acetate (i.e., the Perkin cinnamic acid synthesis, p. 23 6), whereby the 0" hydroxy-cinnamic acid (I) undergoes cyclisation to coumarin. Coumarins having substituents in the benzene ring can often be similarly prepared. 

Prepare the acetylating mixture by adding i volume of acetic anhydride to 4 volumes of pure anhydrous pyridine, and shaking thoroughly. Immediately before use, transfer the mixture to a clean dry burette having a welUfitting glass tap, and then close the top of the burette by means of a soda-lime tube. 

Fit two similar 250 ml. conical flasks, A and B, with reflux water-condensers (using ground-glass joints or rubber stoppers) and connect the condensers in series as before over two water-baths. Prepare a mixture of 2 volumes of acetic anhydride and i volume of glacial acetic acid,... 

J The hexa.acetyl derivative, m.p. 121°, may be prepared as follows. Boil under reflux 1 part of mannitol with 5 parts by weight of acetic anhydride and 1 part of anhydrous sodium acetate or with a little anhydrous zinc chloride for 15-20 minutes, pour into excess of water, stir the mixture until the oil has solidifled, and then recrystallise from methylated spirit. 

The ketones are readily prepared, for example, acetophenone from benzene, acetyl chloride (or acetic anhydride) and aluminium chloride by the Friedel and Crafts reaction ethyl benzyl ketones by passing a mixture of phenylacetic acid and propionic acid over thoria at 450° and n-propyl- p-phenylethylketone by circulating a mixture of hydrocinnamic acid and n-butyric acid over thoria (for further details, see under Aromatic Ketones, Sections IV,136, IV,137 and IV,141). 

Acetyl derivatives of aromatic amines may be prepared either witli acetic anhydride or acetic acid or with a mixture of both reagents. Primary amines react readily upon warming with acetic anhydride to yield, in the first instance, the mono-acetyl derivative, for example ... 

Boil a mixture of 10 g. (10 ml.) of o-toluidine and 38 g. (35 ml.) of acetic anhydride in a 75 or 100 ml. Claisen flask fitted with a reflux condenser (Fig. Ill, 28, 1, but with trap replaced by a calcium chloride or cotton wool guard tube) for 1 hour. Arrange the flask for distillation under reduced pressure (compare Fig. II, 20, 1) and distil acetic acid and the excess of acetic anhydride pass over first, followed by the diacetyl derivative at 152-153°/20 mm, some mono-acetyl-o-toluidine (1-2 g.) remains in the flask. The yield of diacetyl-o-toluidine is 14-15 g, it is a colourless, somewhat unstable hquid, which slowly sohdifies to yield crystals, m.p. 18°, To prepare the (mono-) acetyl-o-toluidine, warm a mixture of 5 g. 

Crystalline derivatives, suitable for identification and characterisation are dealt with in Section IV, 114, but the preparation of the following, largely liquid, derivatives will be described in the following Sections. When phenols are dissolved in aqueous sodium hydroxide solution and shaken with acetic anhydride, they undergo rapid and almost quantitative acetylation if the temperature is kept low throughout the reaction. This is because phenols form readily soluble sodium derivatives, which react with acetic anhydride before the latter undergoes appreciable hydrolysis, for example ... 

I) Hydroquinone dIacetate may be prepared as follows. Add I drop of concentrated sulphuric acid to a mixture of 55 g. of hydroquinone and 103 g. (05-5 ml.) of A.R. acetic anhydride in a 500 ml. conical flask. Stir the mixture gently by hand it warms up rapidly and the hydroquinone dissolves. After 5 minutes, pour the clear solution on to 400 ml. of crushed ice. Alter with suction and wash with 500 ml. of water. Recrystallise the solid from 50 cent, ethanol by weight (ca. 400 ml. are required). The yield of pure hydroquinone diacetate, m.p. 122°, is 89 g. 

Acetates. The acetates of monohydric phenols are usually liquids, but those of di and tri-hydric phenols and also of many substituted phenols are frequently crystaUine sohds. They may be prepared with acetic anhydride as detailed under Amines, Section IV,100,7. 

Acetates may also be prepared by adding acetic anhydride to somewhat dilute solutions of compounds containing hydroxyl (or amino) groups in aqueous caustic alkahs. The amount of alkali used should suffice to leave the hquid shghtly basic at the end of the operation, so much ice should be added that a little remains unmelted, and the acetic anhydride should be added quickly. 

The preparation of a-phenylclnnamlc acid from benzaldehyde, phenylacetic acid, acetic anhydride and triethylamine is described. Presumably equilibria are set up between phenylacetic acid and acetic anhydride to form phenylacetic anhydride, a mixed anhydride or both ... 

Acetylthiophene Is prepared by the acetylation of thiophene with acetic anhydride In the presence of orthophosphoric acid ... 

Ninhydrin (also named 1 2 3-triketoindane or 1 2 3-triketohydrindene hydrate) is prepared most simply from the inexpensive phthahc anhydride (I). The latter is condensed with acetic anhydride In the presence of potassium acetate to give phthalylacetlc acid (II) reaction of the latter with sodium methoxide in methanol yields 1 3-indanedionecarboxyhc acid, which is decomposed upon warming with dilute hydrochloric or sulphuric acid to indane-1 3-dione (or 1 3-diketohydrindene) (HI). Selenium dioxide oxidation of (III) afibrds indane-1 2 3-trione hydrate (ninhydrin) (IV). 

Phenacetin may be conveniently prepared in the laboratory from p-amino-phenol. The latter is readily acetylated with acetic anhydride to give p-acetyl-aminophenol this Is ethylated in the form of the sodio derivative to yield acetyl p-phenetidine (phenacetin) ... 

For this reason, acetic anhydride is generally preferred for the preparation of acetyl derivatives, but acetyl chloride, in view of its greater reactivity, is a better diagnostic reagent for primary and secondary amines. 

Evidence from the viscosities, densities, refractive indices and measurements of the vapour pressure of these mixtures also supports the above conclusions. Acetyl nitrate has been prepared from a mixture of acetic anhydride and dinitrogen pentoxide, and characterised, showing that the equilibria discussed do lead to the formation of that compound. The initial reaction between nitric acid and acetic anhydride is rapid at room temperature nitric acid (0-05 mol 1 ) is reported to be converted into acetyl nitrate with a half-life of about i minute. This observation is consistent with the results of some preparative experiments, in which it was found that nitric acid could be precipitated quantitatively with urea from solutions of it in acetic anhydride at —10 °C, whereas similar solutions prepared at room temperature and cooled rapidly to — 10 °C yielded only a part of their nitric acid ( 5.3.2). The following equilibrium has been investigated in detail ... 

In addition to the initial reaction between nitric acid and acetic anhydride, subsequent changes lead to the quantitative formation of tetranitromethane in an equimolar mixture of nitric acid and acetic anhydride this reaction was half completed in 1-2 days. An investigation of the kinetics of this reaction showed it to have an induction period of 2-3 h for the solutions examined ([acetyl nitrate] = 0-7 mol 1 ), after which the rate adopted a form approximately of the first order with a half-life of about a day, close to that observed in the preparative experiment mentioned. In confirmation of this, recent workers have found the half-life of a solution at 25 °C of 0-05 mol 1 of nitric acid to be about 2 days. ... 

The second row of results refers to an experiment using a freshly prepared solution of nitric acid (i-o mol 1 ) in acetic anhydride,... 

Later experiments do not allow a clear choice between these alternatives. The high proportion of o-isomer formed when nitration is effected with acetyl nitrate in acetic anhydride is confirmed by the results of expts. 10-14 (table 5.5). The use of fuming, rather than pure nitric acid, in the preparation of the reagent, which may lead to nitration... 

Expts. I, 3, 5, 7, 9, II. Descriptions of these experiments are not always explicit, but the reagent was prepared from fuming nitric acid (d 1-5, 0 009 mol) and acetic anhydride (o-oi mol) a small quantity of urea was added before nitration. 

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