Section 2 Alcohols

Fit the central neck of a 1-litre three-necked flask with an efficient double surface condenser and close the two side necks with corks (1). Place 52 g. (59-5 ml.) of ethyl n-valerate (Section 111,104) and 800 ml. of super-diy ethyl alcohol (Section 11,47, 5) (2) in the flask. Add 95 g. of clean sodium in small pieces through one of the apertures at such... 

Prepare a Grignard reagent from 24 -5 g. of magnesium turnings, 179 g. (157 ml.) of n-heptyl bromide (Section 111,37), and 300 ml. of di-n-butyl ether (1). Cool the solution to 0° and, with vigorous stirring, add an excess of ethylene oxide. Maintain the temperature at 0° for 1 hour after the ethylene oxide has been introduced, then allow the temperature to rise to 40° and maintain the mixture at this temperature for 1 hour. Finally heat the mixture on a water bath for 2 hours. Decompose the addition product and isolate the alcohol according to the procedure for n-hexyl alcohol (Section 111,18) the addition of benzene is unnecessary. Collect the n-nonyl alcohol at 95-100°/12 mm. The yield is 95 g. 

Allyl Chloride. Comparatively poor yields are obtained by the zinc chloride - hydrochloric acid method, but the following procedure, which employs cuprous chloride as a catalyst, gives a yield of over 90 per cent. Place 100 ml. of allyl alcohol (Section 111,140), 150 ml. of concentrated hydrochloric acid and 2 g. of freshly prepared cuprous chloride (Section II,50,i one tenth scale) in a 750 ml. round-bottomed flask equipped with a reflux condenser. Cool the flask in ice and add 50 ml. of concen trated sulphuric acid dropwise through the condenser with frequent shaking of the flask. A little hydrogen chloride may be evolved towards the end of the reaction. Allow the turbid liquid to stand for 30 minutes in order to complete the separation of the allyl chloride. Remove the upper layer, wash it with twice its volume of water, and dry over anhydrous calcium chloride. Distil the allyl chloride passes over at 46-47°. 

Allyl Bromide. Introduce into a 1-litre three-necked flask 250 g. (169 ml.) of 48 per cent, hydrobromic acid and then 75 g. (40-5 ml.) of concentrated sulphuric acid in portions, with shaking Anally add 58 g. (68 ml.) of pure allyl alcohol (Section 111,140). Fit the flask with a separatory funnel, a mechanical stirrer and an efficient condenser (preferably of the double surface type) set for downward distillation connect the flask to the condenser by a wide (6-8 mm.) bent tube. Place 75 g. (40 5 ml.) of concentrated sulphuric acid in the separatory funnel, set the stirrer in motion, and allow the acid to flow slowly into the warm solution. The allyl bromide will distil over (< 30 minutes). Wash the distillate with 5 per cent, sodium carbonate solution, followed by water, dry over anhydrous calcium chloride, and distil from a Claisen flask with a fractionating side arm or through a short column. The yield of allyl bromide, b.p. 69-72°, is 112 g. There is a small high-boiling fraction containing propylene dibromide. 

For properties of these reagents and their preparation from the corresponding acids, see under Aliphatic Alcohols, Section 111,27,1 and 2. 

Mix 31 g. (29-5 ml.) of benzyl alcohol (Section IV, 123 and Section IV,200) and 45 g. (43 ml.) of glacial acetic acid in a 500 ml. round-bottomed flask introduce 1 ml. of concentrated sulphuric acid and a few fragments of porous pot. Attach a reflux condenser to the flask and boil the mixture gently for 9 hours. Pour the reaction mixture into about 200 ml. of water contained in a separatory funnel, add 10 ml. of carbon tetrachloride (to eliminate emulsion formation owing to the slight difference in density of the ester and water, compare Methyl Benzoate, Section IV,176) and shake. Separate the lower layer (solution of benzyl acetate in carbon tetrachloride) and discard the upper aqueous layer. Return the lower layer to the funnel, and wash it successively with water, concentrated sodium bicarbonate solution (until effervescence ceases) and water. Dry over 5 g. of anhydrous magnesium sulphate, and distil under normal pressure (Fig. II, 13, 2) with the aid of an air bath (Fig. II, 5, 3). Collect the benzyl acetate a (colourless liquid) at 213-215°. The yield is 16 g. 

Most aromatic alcohols exhibit the majority of the reactions given under Aliphatic Alcohols, Section 111,27, and may be converted into crystalline derivatives as there described. 

Equip a 3 litre three-necked flask with a thermometer, a mercury-sealed mechanical stirrer and a double-surface reflux condenser. It is important that all the apparatus be thoroughly dry. Place 212 g. of trimethylene dibromide (Section 111,35) and 160 g. of ethyl malonate (Section 111,153) (dried over anhydrous calcium sulphate) in the flask. By means of a separatory funnel, supported in a retort ring and fitted into the top of the condenser with a grooved cork, add with stirring a solution of 46 g. of sodium in 800 ml. of super dry ethyl alcohol (Section 11,47,5) (I) at such a rate that the temperature of the reaction mixture is maintained at 60-65° (50-60 minutes). When the addition is complete, allow the mixture to stand until the temperature falls to 50-55°, and then heat on a water bath until a few drops of the liquid when added to water are no longer alkaline to phenolphthalein (about 2 hours). Add sufficient water to dissolve the precipitate of sodium bromide, and remove the alcohol by distillation from a water bath. Arrange the flask for steam distillation (Fig. this merely involves... 

Diethylbarbituric acid. In a dry 250 ml. distilling flask, fitted with a thermometer reaching to within 3-4 cm. of the bottom and a condenser, place 51 g. of clean sodium and add 110 g. (140 ml.) of super-dr ethyl alcohol (Section 11,47,5). When all the sodium has reacted, introduce 20 g. of ethyl diethylmalonate and 7 0 g. of dry imea (dried at 60 for 4 hours). Heat the flask in an oil bath and slowly distil off the ethyl alcohol. As soon as the temperature of the liquid reaches 110-115°, adjust the flame beneath the bath so that the contents of the flask are maintained at this temperature for at least 4 hours. Allow the flask to cool somewhat, add 100 ml. of water and warm until the solid (veronal-sodium) dissolves. Pour the solution into a beaker, and add a further 100 ml. of water but containing 7 0 ml. of concentrated siilplmric acid this will hberate the veronal from the sodium derivative. The veronal usually crystallises out if it does not, add a few more drops of dilute sulphuric acid until the solution is acid to Congo red. Heat the contents of the beaker, with stirring and the addition of more water if necessary, until all the veronal dissolves at the boiling point. Allow the hot solution to cool, filter off the crystals of veronal and diy in the air. The yield is 12 g., m.p. 190°. 

Etbyl pbenylnialonate. In a I-litie flask, equipped with a dropping funnel, mercury-sealed stirrer and reflux condenser, pl oe 11-5 g. of clean sodium pieces (see Section III,7, Note I) add 250 ml. of superdry ethyl alcohol (Section 11,47,5) and allow the vigorous reaction to... 

Styrene may be conveniently prepared in the laboratory by heating p-phenylethyl alcohol (Section IV,204) with sohd sodium or potassium hydroxide when an almost quantitative dehydration occurs ... 

The derivative selected in any particular instance should be one which clearly singles out one compound from among all the possibilities and thus enables an unequivocal choice to be made. The melting points of the derivatives to be compared should differ by at least 5-10°. Whenever possible, a derivative should be selected which has a neutralisation equivalent as well as a melting point (e.g., an aryloxyacetic acid derivative of a phenol. Section IV,114,4, or a hydrogen S nitrophthalate of an alcohol. Section 111,25,5). 

Dehydration of alcohols (Sections 5 9-5 13) Dehydra tion requires an acid catalyst the order of reactivity of alcohols IS tertiary > secondary > primary Elimi nation is regioselective and proceeds in the direction that produces the most highly substituted double bond When stereoisomeric alkenes are possible the more stable one is formed in greater amounts An El (elimination unimolecular) mechanism via a carbo cation intermediate is followed with secondary and tertiary alcohols Primary alcohols react by an E2 (elimination bimolecular) mechanism Sometimes elimination is accompanied by rearrangement... 

Although 2 methylpropene undergoes acid catalyzed hydration m dilute sulfuric acid to form tert butyl alcohol (Section 6 10) a different reaction occurs m more concentrated solutions of sulfuric acid Rather than form the expected alkyl hydrogen sulfate (see Sec tion 6 9) 2 methylpropene is converted to a mixture of two isomeric C Hig alkenes... 

Reduction to alcohols (Section 15 2) Aide hydes are reduced to primary alcohols and ketones are reduced to secondary alcohols by a variety of reducing agents Catalytic hydrogenation over a metal catalyst and reduction with sodium borohydride or lithium aluminum hydride are general methods... 

Oxidation of primary alcohols (Section 15 10) Potassi um permanganate and chromic acid convert primary al cohols to carboxylic acids by way of the corresponding aldehyde... 

The first stage of the mechanism is exactly the same as for nucleophilic addition to the carbonyl group of an aldehyde or ketone Many of the same nucleophiles that add to aldehydes and ketones—water (Section 17 6) alcohols (Section 17 8) amines (Sections 17 10-17 11)—add to the carbonyl groups of carboxylic acid derivatives... 

Gram alcohol (Section 4 3) A common name for ethanol (CH3CH2OH)... 

Opening by trimethylsilyl trifluoromethanesulfonate yields an adduct (54) from which trifluoromethanesulfonic acid can be eliminated to give an allylic alcohol (Scheme 47) (79JA2738) [cf. base-promoted isomerization to allylic alcohols (Section 5.05.3.2.2)]. 

Oxiranes react with iodotrimethylsilane to give silylated halo alcohols e.g. 60) which can be converted to allylic alcohols (Scheme 53) (80JOC2579, 80TL2329) cf. other syntheses of allylic alcohols (Sections 5.05.3.2.2, 5.05.3.4.3(0 and Hi)). 

We have seen this situation before in the reaction of alcohols with hydrogen halides (Section 4.11), in the acid-catalyzed dehydration of alcohols (Section 5.12), and in the conversion of alkyl halides to alkenes by the El mechanism (Section 5.17). As in these other reactions, an electronic effect, specifically, the stabilization of the carbocation intennediate by alkyl substituents, is the decisive factor. The more stable the caibocation, the faster it is fonned. 

Synthesis of acetylenic alcohols (Section 14.8) Sodium acetylide and acetylenic Grignard reagents react with aldehydes and ketones to give alcohols of the type... 

Reaction with alcohols (Section 15.8) Acid anhydrides react with alcohols to form esters. 

Ketones are named by replacing the terminal -e of the corresponding alkane name with -one. The parent chain is the longest one that contains the ketone group, and the numbering begins at the end nearer the carbonyl carbon. As with alkenes (Section 6.3) and alcohols (Section 17.1), the locant is placed before the parent name in older rules but before the suffix in newer IUPAC recommendations. For example ... 

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