Evaluation of L – Proline as a Catalyst for an Asymmetric Aldol Reaction

The objective of this lab was to create a ketone through an oxidation reaction using a using a secondary alcohol and oxidizing agent in order to use that ketone in a reduction reaction with a specific reducing agent to determine the affect of that reducing agent on the diastereoselectivity of the product. In the first part of this experiment, 4-tert-butylcyclohexanol was reacted with NaOCl, an oxidizing agent, and acetic acid to form 4-tert-butylcyclohexanone. In the second part of this experiment, 4-tert-butylcyclohexanone was reacted with a reducing agent, either NaBH4 in EtOH or Al(OiPr)3 in iPrOH, to form the product 4-tert-butylcyclohexanol. 1H NMR spectroscopy was used to determine the cis:trans ratio of the OH relative to the tert-butyl group in the product formed from the reduction reaction with each reducing agent. Thin-layer chromatography was used in both the oxidation and reduction steps to ensure that each reaction ran to completion.

Reaction 2 - 1.Used a Beral- type pipet, added about 2mL (40 Drops) of 1M hydrochloric acid solution to a small test tube.

3.0g of salicylic acid was weighed then 3.0mL of acetic anhydride and 6 drops of 85% H3PO4 were added to it. The mixture was warmed over a water bath for 5 minutes while stirring. After warming, 20 drops of distilled water was slowly added. 15mL of water was added then the solution was heated until it became clear. It was allowed to cool and was placed in an ice bath until the solution becomes cloudy. Using pre-weighed filter paper, the mixture was filtered and was allowed to dry in the filter paper.

24) Separate the formed crystals (benzoin) and allow them to dry, then take the MP.

8. Repeat step 7 with H2SO4, except that you should use a 10 mL graduated cylinder of H2SO4 and adding 15 mL water.

The crude product was washed by taking the reaction product in the separatory funnel and adding 23 mL of deionized H2O. The mixture was shaken and allowed to settle until layers were observable. The top layer was the desired product and approximately 25 mL of aqueous layer was extracted from the separatory funnel. Next, 25 mL of 5% NaHCO3 was added to the separatory funnel in order to neutralize the acid. This mixture was swirled, plugged with the stopper and inverted. Built-up gas was released by turning the stopcock to its opened and closed positions, releasing CO2 by-product. This was done four times in one minute intervals. The solution was allowed to settle until layers were observable. The bottom layer that contained salt, base and water was extracted from the separatory funnel. The crude product was washed again as mentioned previously.

A pre-weighed (0.315g) mixture of Carboxylic acid, a phenol, and neutral substance was placed into a reaction tube (tube 1). tert-Butyl methyl ether (2ml) was added to the tube and the solid mixture was dissolved. Next, 1 ml of saturated NaHCO3 solution was added to the tube and the contents were mixed separating the contents into three layers. Once this was completed

Wash (swirl and shake) the organic layer with one 10-mL portion of water and again drain the lower aqueous layer. Transfer the organic layer to a small, dry Erlenmeyer flask by pouring it from the top of the separatory funnel. Dry the crude t-pentyl chloride over 1.01 g of anhydrous calcium chloride until it is clear (see Technique 12, Section 12.9). Swirl the alkyl halide with the drying agent to aid the drying.

The reaction is carried out in saturated aqueous ammonium chloride solution. Thus no special drying of solvents, reagents, or glassware is required. The reaction mechanism for this experiment can be seen below (Fig. 2)

The reaction took place in a conical vial and .2mL of each of the reactant samples were added to it along with some 95% ethanol. Two drops of NaOH were added shortly after and stirred at room temperature for fifteen minutes. The vial was cooled in and ice bath and crystallized. Vacuum filtration was performed to filter the crude product. The crude product was recrystallized using methanol and filtered again. We made one change to the procedure and instead of using .7mL of ethanol we

2.) Add 20ml of dichloromethane, gently shake to extract, be sure to vent by opening the stop-cock. First extraction successful.

with either buffer or 10-4M lyral (International Flavors and Fragrances) for 15 min in triplicate.

An ester was synthesized during an organic reaction and identified by IR spectroscopy and boiling point. Acetic acid was added to 4-methyl-2-pentanol, which was catalyzed by sulfuric acid. This produced the desired ester and water. After the ester was isolated a percent yield of 55.1% was calculated from the 0.872 g of ester recovered. This quantitative error was most likely due to product getting stuck in the apparatus. The boiling point of the ester was 143° C, only one degree off from the theoretical boiling point of the ester 1,3-dimethylbutyl, 144 ° C. The values of the

3. Use a sterile pipette to transfer 0.1 ml of each dilution on to a MacConkey agar plate.

After all additional product ceased to form, the reaction mixture was cooled in an ice bath to allow precipitation of benzopinacol. The final product was then filtered off from the solution using a Buchener funnel. Its melting point, yield and infrared spetrum was then obtained.