Reaction #501854

Reaction equation

phenol

phenol

magnesium

iodine

n-butyl chloride

phenol

phenol

butane

phenol

butane

magnesium

→

Phenoxymagnesium Chloride

Solvents

Conditions

Workup

1. 1
   OtherA reactor equipped
2. 2
   Temperaturewitha reflux condenser
3. 3
   TemperatureThis mixture was heated
4. 4
   Temperatureat reflux temperature
5. 5
   Otherthe resulting reaction mixture
6. 6
   Temperatureto reflux for 90 minutes
7. 7
   Temperatureheating
8. 8
   Temperaturemaintained at the
9. 9
   OtherReaction
10. 10
    FiltrationThe hot reaction slurry was then filtered
11. 11
    Otherto collect solid product
12. 12
    WashThe solid product was washed with pentane
13. 13
    Otherto remove
14. 14
    OtherThe solid was dried under argon pressure until it

Procedure

A reactor equipped witha reflux condenser was charged under an argon atmospher with 6.55 gm of magnesium metal powder (0.269 moles), 250ml. of Isopar "E" isoparaffinic hydrocarbon solvent and a few crystals (0.2 gm) of iodine. This mixture was heated to reflux temperature (121° C.) for about 60 minutes to activate the metal. Then, 28.0 ml (0.27 moles) of n-butyl chloride was added in 30 minutes to this metal slurry at reflux temperature; the resulting reaction mixture was allowed to reflux for 90 minutes. Anhydrous crystalline phenol (C6H5OH) 28 gm (0.298 moles) was then added slowly in melted form along with Isopar E solvent (50° C.) under good agitation. The phenol addition was completed in 20 minutes. During addition of phenol, heating was cut off and maintained at the reflux of released butane from the reaction. The reaction slurry turned from a grayish to a whitish color. The reaction slurry was then heated up to 90° C. with distillation of the refluxing butane. The slurry color turned from gray to white with no visible metal particles. Reaction was continued at 90° C. for another two hours with the addition of another 12 gms (0.128 moles) of phenol. The second addition of phenol was to see if any magnesium solubilized. The hot reaction slurry was then filtered to collect solid product. The solid product was washed with pentane to remove leftover solvents. The filtrate was tested for magnesium and found to be nil. The solid was dried under argon pressure until it was found to be a free flowing powder. Analysis of the solid white product showed 14.82% total magnesium, 56.78% C6H5O, 21.27% Cl, and remaining is free solvent: The filtrate was found to have all the excess phenol in it. This solid white product had an RO/Mg/X (i.e., C6H5O/Mg/Cl) molar ratio almost equal to 1:1:1.

Source