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Chemistry Forums for Students => Organic Chemistry Forum => Topic started by: Hypergol on February 03, 2019, 02:42:36 PM

Title: Identifying byproducts of this styrene reaction
Post by: Hypergol on February 03, 2019, 02:42:36 PM

Hello,
I am a chemical engineering student designing a process involving styrene --> phenylacetamide. After an exhaustive search, I have not been able to identify the byproducts of this reaction. I was wondering if a chemist could apply their expertise and help me. Styrene, ammonia solution, ethanol, and elemental sulfur are heated at about 95C for 3 hours. Below is a link to the equation. Thank you so much for any help.

https://imgur.com/a/thjIrig

Title: Re: Identifying byproducts of this styrene reaction
Post by: AWK on February 03, 2019, 04:02:49 PM

Without ethanol, the main by-product may be thioamide. (see works of Marwin Carmack, eg US2495567A as a starting point). With ethanol one may expect same amount ester or free acid instead of the amide. The problem may be solved within a few days with GC-MS or after isolation of by-products with NMR.