Question

How would you prepare 1-phenyl-2-butanone, C₆H₅CH₂COCH₂CH₃, from benzyl bromide, C₆H₅CH₂Br? More than one step is required?

Short answer

Thepreparation of 1-phenyl-2-butanone, C₆H₅CH₂COCH₂CH₃, from benzyl bromide, C₆H₅CH₂Br can be explained.

Step-by-step solution

Formation of bonds

The metal Mg reacts with the benzyl bromide for the formation of benzyl magnesium bromide. There is a cleavage of C-Br bond and formation of C-Mg and Mg-Br bonds.

1-phenyl-2-butanone formation

The reaction of propanol with benzyl magnesium bromide results in the acidification for the formation of 1-phenylbutan-2-ol.

The double bond between C and O of propanol can be converted to the single bond of C-O and O-H for the formation of O-H and C-C bonds.

The oxidation of secondary alcohol to ketone.