Triphenyl benzene carbinol

Fit securely to the lower end of the condenser (as a receiver) a Buchner flask, the side-tube carrying a piece of rubber tubing which falls well below the level of the bench. Steam-distil the ethereal mixture for about 30 minutes discard the distillate, which contains the ether, possibly a trace of unchanged ethyl benzoate, and also any biphenyl, CeHs CgHs, which has been formed. The residue in the flask contains the triphenyl carbinol, which solidifies when the liquid is cooled. Filter this residual product at the pump, wash the triphenyl-carbinol thoroughly with water, drain, and then dry by pressing between several layers of thick drying-paper. Yield of crude dry product, 8 g. The triphenyl-carbinol can be recrystallised from methylated spirit (yield, 6 g.), or, if quite dry, from benzene, and so obtained as colourless crystals, m.p. 162. ... 

Steam-distil the ethereal solution and discard the distillate. The residue in the flask is triphenyl-carbinol and solidifies on cooling. Filter at the pump, wash with water, drain and dry. Yield of crude product 0 6 g. Recrystallise when dry from benzene to obtain colourless crystals m.p. 162°. 

The Grignard reagent—magnesium phenyl bromide—is prepared as described in Preparation 21 from 1-2 gms. (1 mol.) of dry magnesium and 8 gms. (1 mol.) of dry bromobenzene. 6-8 gms. (1 mol.) of dry methyl benzoate dissolved in 25 gms. of sodium-dried ether are added to the cold solution, slowly and with constant shaking. The liquid is then heated on a water bath until no further change takes place. Ice and dilute sulphuric acid are added to the cold reaction mixture, which, when the precipitate has dissolved, is steam distilled. The triphenyl carbinol which remains is recrystallised from benzene. 

Sym. ethers. A soln. of dl-a-methyl- A soln. of triphenyl carbinol in benzyl alcohol in benzene excess methanol... 

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