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Chemistry Forums for Students => Organic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: anna on August 09, 2005, 03:27:05 AM

Title: Tricky Conversions
Post by: anna on August 09, 2005, 03:27:05 AM

These are 2 conversions I've been racking my brains to solve...

nb. THE IMPORTANT THING HOWEVER IS THAT YOU CAN'T USE                    ANOTHER ORGANIC MATERIAL IN THE CONVERSION.
you can use MINERAL REAGENTS ONLY.

ok, so:
How do you convert:

ethanol to propan-1-ol
propan-1-ol into hexane

pls answer asap and thx!

Title: Re:Tricky Conversions
Post by: Winga on August 09, 2005, 07:26:02 AM

Let me try!
(Just provide the major reagents.)

ethanol ---> propan-1-ol
1. ethanol --- PBr3 ---> bromoethane
2. bromoethane --- KCN ---> propanenitrile
3. propanenitrile --- H3O+ ---> propanoic acid
4. propanoic acid --- LiAlH4 ---> propan-1-ol

propan-1-ol ---> hexane
1. propan-1-ol --- PBr3 ---> 1-bromopropane
2. 2 x 1-bromopropane + 2 Na ---> hexane // Wurtz Reaction

Wurtz Reaction:
http://www.organic-chemistry.org/namedreactions/wurtz-reaction.shtm (http://www.organic-chemistry.org/namedreactions/wurtz-reaction.shtm)

Wurtz-Fittig Reaction:
http://www.organic-chemistry.org/namedreactions/wurtz-fittig-reaction.shtm (http://www.organic-chemistry.org/namedreactions/wurtz-fittig-reaction.shtm)