Section 6 Ethers

In this Section, ether and acetal substituents will be discussed. In some polysaccharides, the terminal reducing sugar is glycosidically linked to a non-sugar aglycon, and this will be discussed in a special part. 

Metallic sodium. This metal is employed for the drying of ethers and of saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons. The bulk of the water should first be removed from the liquid or solution by a preliminary drying with anhydrous calcium chloride or magnesium sulphate. Sodium is most effective in the form of fine wire, which is forced directly into the liquid by means of a sodium press (see under Ether, Section II,47,i) a large surface is thus presented to the liquid. It cannot be used for any compound with which it reacts or which is affected by alkalis or is easily subject to reduction (due to the hydrogen evolved during the dehydration), viz., alcohols, acids, esters, organic halides, ketones, aldehydes, and some amines. 

Diethyl ether will be abbreviated throughout the book to ether. The ether should be reasonably free from peroxides, see Section 11,47,1. 

Absolute diethyl ether. The chief impurities in commercial ether (sp. gr. 0- 720) are water, ethyl alcohol, and, in samples which have been exposed to the air and light for some time, ethyl peroxide. The presence of peroxides may be detected either by the liberation of iodine (brown colouration or blue colouration with starch solution) when a small sample is shaken with an equal volume of 2 per cent, potassium iodide solution and a few drops of dilute hydrochloric acid, or by carrying out the perchromio acid test of inorganic analysis with potassium dichromate solution acidified with dilute sulphuric acid. The peroxides may be removed by shaking with a concentrated solution of a ferrous salt, say, 6-10 g. of ferrous salt (s 10-20 ml. of the prepared concentrated solution) to 1 litre of ether. The concentrated solution of ferrous salt is prepared either from 60 g. of crystallised ferrous sulphate, 6 ml. of concentrated sulphuric acid and 110 ml. of water or from 100 g. of crystallised ferrous chloride, 42 ml. of concentrated hydiochloric acid and 85 ml. of water. Peroxides may also be removed by shaking with an aqueous solution of sodium sulphite (for the removal with stannous chloride, see Section VI,12). 

Attention is directed to the fact that ether is highly inflammable and also extremely volatile (b.p. 35°), and great care should be taken that there is no naked flame in the vicinity of the liquid (see Section 11,14). Under no circumstances should ether be distilled over a bare flame, but always from a steam bath or an electrically-heated water bath (Fig.//, 5,1), and with a highly efficient double surface condenser. In the author s laboratory a special lead-covered bench is set aside for distillations with ether and other inflammable solvents. The author s ether still consists of an electrically-heated water bath (Fig. 11, 5, 1), fitted with the usual concentric copper rings two 10-inch double surface condensers (Davies type) are suitably supported on stands with heavy iron bases, and a bent adaptor is fitted to the second condenser furthermost from the water bath. The flask containing the ethereal solution is supported on the water bath, a short fractionating column or a simple bent still head is fitted into the neck of the flask, and the stUl head is connected to the condensers by a cork the recovered ether is collected in a vessel of appropriate size. 

Nitrobenzene is an extremely versatile solvent, and may frequently be employed for the crystallisation of compounds which do not dissolve appreciably in the common organic solvents. The vapour is somewhat poisonous, so that recrystaUisations must be carried out in the fume cupboard. After the crystals have been collected, they should be washed with a volatile solvent, such as benzene, alcohol or ether, to remove the excess of nitrobenzene (compare Section 11,32). The only disadvantage of nitrobenzene as a solvent is that it has a pronounced oxidising action at the boihng point. 

Zinc cyanide. Solutions of the reactants are prepared by dis solving 100 g. of technical sodium cyanide (97-98 per cent. NaCN) in 125 ml. of water and 150 g. of anhydrous zinc chloride in the minimum volume of 50 per cent, alcohol (1). The sodium cyanide solution is added rapidly, with agitation, to the zinc chloride solution. The precipitated zinc cyanide is filtered off at the pump, drained well, washed with alcohol and then with ether. It is dried in a desiccator or in an air bath at 50°, and preserved in a tightly stoppered bottle. The yield is almost quantitative and the zinc cyanide has a purity of 95-98 per cent. (2). It has been stated that highly purified zinc cyanide does not react in the Adams modification of the Gattermann reaction (compare Section IV,12l). The product, prepared by the above method is, however, highly satisfactory. Commercial zinc cyanide may also be used. 

Hexamethylene glycol, HO(CH2)gOH. Use 60 g. of sodium, 81 g. of diethyl adipate (Sections 111,99 and III,100) and 600 ml. of super-d ethyl alcohol. All other experimental detaUs, including amounts of water, hydrochloric acid and potassium carbonate, are identical with those for Telramelhylene Glycol. The yield of hexamethylene glycol, b.p. 146-149°/ 7 mm., is 30 g. The glycol may also be isolated by continuous extraction with ether or benzene. 

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. 

Use the apparatus detailed in Section 111,20. Dissolve 100 g. (123 ml.) of methyl n-butyl ketone (2-hexanone) (Section 111,152) in 750 ml. of ether and add 150 ml. of water. Introduce 69 g. of clean sodium in the form of wire (or small pieces) as rapidly as possible the reaction must be kept under control and, if necessary, the flask must be cooled in ice or in running water. When all the sodium has reacted, separate the ethereal layer, wash it with 25 ml. of dilute hydrochloric acid (1 1), then with water, dry with anhydrous potassium carbonate or with anhydrous calcium sulphate, and distil through a fractionating column. Collect the fraction of b.p. 136-138°. The yield of methyl n-butyl carbinol (2-hexanol) is 97 g. 

For alcohols of b.p. below 150°, mix 0- 5 g. of 3-nitrophthalic anhydride (Section VII,19) and 0-5 ml. (0-4 g.) of the dry alcohol in a test-tube fitted with a short condenser, and heat under reflux for 10 minutes after the mixture liquefies. For alcohols boiling above 150°, use the same quantities of reactants, add 5 ml. of dry toluene, heat under reflux until all the anhydride has dissolved and then for 20 minutes more remove the toluene under reduced pressure (suction with water pump). The reaction product usually solidifies upon cooling, particularly upon rubbing with a glass rod and standing. If it does not crystallise, extract it with dilute sodium bicarbonate solution, wash the extract with ether, and acidify. Recrystallise from hot water, or from 30 to 40 per cent, ethanol or from toluene. It may be noted that the m.p. of 3-nitrophthalic acid is 218°. 

Triiodobenzoates. The derivatives enumerated above are unsatisfactory for alcohol - ethers, e.g., the mono-ethers of ethyleneglycol ( cellosolves ) and the mono-ethers of diethyleneglycol ( car-bitols ) (see Table 111,27). Crystalline derivatives of alcohol - ethers are readily obtained with 3 4 5-triiodobenzoyl chloride (for preparation, see Section VII,21), for example ... 

Pseudo-saccharin ethers. Pseudo-saccharin chloride (Section VII,26) reacts with alcohols to give ethers (0 alkyl derivatives of saccharin) ... 

In a 500 ml. three-necked flask, equipped with a thermometer, a sealed Hershberg stirrer and a reflux condenser, place 32-5 g. of phosphoric oxide and add 115-5 g. (67-5 ml.) of 85 per cent, orthophosphoric acid (1). When the stirred mixture has cooled to room temperature, introduce 166 g. of potassium iodide and 22-5 g. of redistilled 1 4-butanediol (b.p. 228-230° or 133-135°/18 mm.). Heat the mixture with stirring at 100-120° for 4 hours. Cool the stirred mixture to room temperature and add 75 ml. of water and 125 ml. of ether. Separate the ethereal layer, decolourise it by shaking with 25 ml. of 10 per cent, sodium thiosulphate solution, wash with 100 ml. of cold, saturated sodium chloride solution, and dry with anhydrous magnesium sulphate. Remove the ether by flash distillation (Section 11,13 compare Fig. II, 13, 4) on a steam bath and distil the residue from a Claisen flask with fractionating side arm under diminished pressure. Collect the 1 4-diiodobutane at 110°/6 mm. the yield is 65 g. 

The silver nitrite may be prepared as described in Section 11,50, 17. The product supplied by Johnson, Matthey and Co. Ltd., of Hatton Garden, London, E.C. 1, is satisfactory it. should be washed with absolute methyl or ethyl alcohol, followed by sodium-dried ether, and dried in an electrically-heated oven at 100 for 30 minutes (longer heating results in darkening on the surface) the substance should be kept in a vacuum desiccator until required. 

The preparation of anhydrous diethyl ether (suitable for Grignard reactions, etc.) is described in Section 11,47,1. The precautions required in handling ether are given in Seetion 11,14. 

The preparation of diethyl ether is described here for the sake of completeness. It is an unsuitable exercise for beginners. Di-n-butyl ether (Section 111,57) offers an excellent alternative. 

CAUTION. Ethers that have been stored for long periods, particularly in partly-filled bottles, frequently contain small quantities of highly explosive peroxides. The presence of peroxides may be detected either by the per-chromic acid test of qualitative inorganic analysis (addition of an acidified solution of potassium dichromate) or by the liberation of iodine from acidified potassium iodide solution (compare Section 11,47,7). The peroxides are nonvolatile and may accumulate in the flask during the distillation of the ether the residue is explosive and may detonate, when distilled, with sufficient violence to shatter the apparatus and cause serious personal injury. If peroxides are found, they must first be removed by treatment with acidified ferrous sulphate solution (Section 11,47,7) or with sodium sulphite solution or with stannous chloride solution (Section VI, 12). The common extraction solvents diethyl ether and di-tso-propyl ether are particularly prone to the formation of peroxides. 

Add 1 ml. of the alcohol-free ether to 0-1-0-15 g. of finely-powdered anhydrous zinc chloride and 0 5 g. of pure 3 5-dinitrobenzoyl chloride (Section 111,27,1) contained in a test-tube attach a small water condenser and reflux gently for 1 hour. Treat the reaction product with 10 ml. of 1-5N sodium carbonate solution, heat and stir the mixture for 1 minute upon a boiling water bath, allow to cool, and filter at the pump. Wash the precipitate with 5 ml. of 1 5N sodium carbonate solution and twice with 6 ml. of ether. Dry on a porous tile or upon a pad of filter paper. Transfer the crude ester to a test-tube and boil it with 10 ml. of chloroform or carbon tetrachloride filter the hot solution, if necessary. If the ester does not separate on cooling, evaporate to dryness on a water bath, and recrystallise the residue from 2-3 ml. of either of the above solvents. Determine the melting point of the resulting 3 5 dinitro benzoate (Section 111,27). 

Reflux 1 ml. of the ether with 5 ml. of freshly distilled, constant boiling point hydriodic acid (Section 11,49,2), b.p. 126-128°, for 2-3 hours. Add 10 ml. of water, distil and collect about 7 ml. of liquid. Decolourise the distillate by the addition of a httle sodium bisulphite, and separate the two layers by means of a dropper pipette (Fig. 11,27,1). Determine the b.p. of the resulting iodide by the Siwoloboff method (Section 11,12) and prepare a crystalline derivative (Section 111,42). 

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