2-Furanacrolein

Abstract

A solution of 7 g (0.175 mole) of sodium hydroxide in 1400 ml of water was cooled to 0° in a four-necked round-bottomed flask fitted with mercury-sealed stirrer, reflux condenser, dropping funnel, and thermometer and surrounded by a bath of ice and salt. The solution was stirred (Note 1) while 100 g (1.04 moles) of freshly distilled 2-furaldehyde (Note 2) was added over a period of 30 minutes. After the addition of the 2-furaldehyde vigorous stirring was continued, and the temperature was maintained at from −1° to 0° while slow dropwise addition was made of a solution of 66 g (1.5 moles) of acetaldehyde in 330 ml of water (Note 3); addition of the whole of the acetaldehyde solution was completed in 8–10 hours (Notes 4 and 5).