Question

Starting from CH₃MgI, How will you prepare the following?

Iso propyl alcohol

Answer 1

Aldehydes (Acetaldehyde) other than formaldehyde, react with methyl magnesium iodide to give an additional product which on hydrolysis yields isopropyl alcohol.

\[\begin{array}{cc}
\phantom{........................}\ce{O}\phantom{........................}\ce{OMgI}\phantom{...................}\ce{OH}\phantom{..........}\ce{I}\phantom{..............}\\
\phantom{.....................}||\phantom{............................}|\phantom{.....................}|\phantom{..........}/\phantom{..............}\\
\ce{\underset{\text{Acetaldehyde}}{CH3 - C - H} + CH3MgI -> CH3 - C - H ->[H2O/H+] CH3 - C - H + Mg}\\
\phantom{............................................}|\phantom{.....................}|\phantom{...........}\backslash\phantom{.......}\\
\phantom{..............................................}\ce{CH3}\phantom{.............}\ce{\underset{\text{Isopropylalcohol (2°)}}{CH3}}\phantom{......}\ce{OH}\phantom{.......}
\end{array}\]