Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 25, 2026
Separation of Aldehydes and Reactive Ketones from Mixtures Using a Bisulfite Extraction Protocol
Published on: April 2, 2018
Green procedure for the preparation of scented alcohols from carbonyl compounds
Carla Villa1, Beatrice Trucchi, Raffaella Gambaro
1Dipartimento di Scienze Farmaceutiche dell'Università, Genova, Italy. carlavilla@unige.it
Abstract:
Several alcohols--interesting as cosmetic fragrances whose main preparative route on an industrial scale or in the research laboratory is the reduction of the corresponding carbonyl compound--were obtained by a solvent-free methodology in a green chemistry context. The process involves the simple mixing of the carbonyl compound with sodium borohydride dispersed in wet alumina in the solid state; the conversions of the carbonyl compounds were obtained in good yields within short reaction times, without energy consumption. The following carbinols were studied: octan-3-ol, 2-cineolylols (endo-exo mixture), alpha-ionol, 4-methylbenzyl alcohol, 1-phenylethanol, trans-cinnamyl alcohol, p-anisyl alcohol, 4-phenyl-3-buten-2-ol.
Related Concept Videos
01:38Preparation of Alcohols via Substitution Reactions
Alcohols can be synthesized from alkyl halides via nucleophilic substitution reactions. The highly polar carbon-halogen bond in the substrate makes halide a good leaving group. The hydroxide ion or water can act as a nucleophile to take the place of halide and form an alcohol. The substitution reactions occur via two different reaction pathways, SN1 or SN2, depending on the nature of carbon attached to the halide.
Primary alcohols are synthesized from primary alkyl halides, and the...
02:15Preparation of Alcohols via Addition Reactions
The acid-catalyzed addition of water to the double bond of alkenes is a large-scale industrial method used to synthesize low-molecular-weight alcohols. An acidic atmosphere is required to allow the hydrogen in the water molecule to act as an electrophile and attack the double bond in an alkene. The addition of a proton to the double bond creates a carbocation intermediate. The proton preferentially bonds to the less substituted end of the double bond to create a more stable carbocation...
02:23Alcohols from Carbonyl Compounds: Reduction
Catalytic hydrogenation is similar to the reduction of an alkene or alkyne by adding H2 across the pi bond in the presence of transition metal catalysts like Raney Ni, Pd–C, Pt, or Ru. Aldehydes and ketones can be reduced by this method, often under mild to moderate heat (25–100°C) and...
02:37Oxidation of Alcohols
The process of oxidation in a chemical reaction is observed in any of the three forms:
01:33Preparation of Aldehydes and Ketones from Alcohols, Alkenes, and Alkynes
01:18Preparation of Aldehydes and Ketones from Carboxylic Acid Derivatives
Carboxylic acid derivatives like acid chlorides and esters are more easily reducible than the corresponding acids. The derivatives reduce in the presence of mild reducing agents to give aldehydes. Aldehydes can also be prepared by Rosenmund reduction, that is, the reduction of acid...