1. OXIDATION OF 9-FLUORENOL
Experiment 19:
OXIDATION OF 9-FLUORENOL

2. Objectives:
To synthesize a ketone from a secondary alcohol using household bleach.
To monitor the reaction progress using TLC analysis.
To purify product using simple extraction.
To analyze the purity of the product using TLC and melting point analysis.
To characterize reactants and products using IR analysis.

3. Before coming to lab… Review these techniques: TLC analysis
Acid-base Extraction
Drying over MgSO4
Melting Point Analysis

4. TYPICAL OXIDATION VS. GREEN OXIDATION
Typical oxidation using chromium compound
Greener oxidation using household bleach

5. THE OXIDIZING AGENT NaOCl + CH3CO2H  HOCl + CH3CO2Na
Sodium acetic hypochlorous sodium
Hypochlorite acid acid acetate
Sodium hypochlorite is the main ingredient in bleach.
It must first be converted to hypochlorous acid in order to oxidize the alcohol.
HOCl is a source of a positive Cl, which has 2 fewer electrons than a chloride anion.
Remember, oxidation is the loss of H or the addition of O.

6. PROPOSED MECHANISM 1
3. Water abstracts a proton from the oxygen bearing the chlorine…
1. Bleach is reacted with acetic acid to produce hypochlorous acid. 2 3
2. Electropositive chlorine atom undergoes nucleophilic attack by oxygen of alcohol to form O-Cl bond…
4. …followed by another attack on the proton of the carbon bearing the oxygen. 4
5. Both electrons from the C-H bond form the p bond of the carbonyl, and a chlorine atom is eliminated to form the neutral product ketone. 5
Although complex, the mechanism results in the exchange of a Cl+ with a H+ on oxygen, followed by subsequent elimination of HCl to form the ketone.

7. Reason for difference in Rf values
The 9-fluorenol can DONATE hydrogen bonds to the silica gel on the TLC plate, resulting in a lower TLC Rf value!
The 9-fluorenone can ACCEPT hydrogen bonds, but not donate to the silica gel on the TLC plate, resulting in a higher TLC Rf value!

8. Reason for difference in color
More conjugated
Less conjugated
The more conjugated a compound is, the higher the wavelength of light it absorbs.
The visible region of the spectrum is the nm wavelength range.
If a compound absorbs light close to 400 nm, it will appear as a yellow color.

9. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE (SYNTHESIS)
Add Fluorenol to 50 mL flask with stir bar.
Add acetone and stir of until dissolved.
Add acetic acid and bleach while stirring. Place a small cork in top of flask to reduce decomposition of bleach.
Stir 10 minutes.
Perform TLC experiment to check for completion.
If oxidation is incomplete, add more acetic acid and bleach, react for 10 additional minutes and repeat TLC experiment.
If oxidation is complete, proceed to purification steps.
Complete reaction!!!
RCT
STD
YOUR RXN
PROD
STD

10. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE (PURIFICATION)
Transfer liquid to separatory funnel.
Extract product into diethyl ether 2X.
Wash organic layer with 5% NaHCO3 and Saturated NaCl.
Transfer organic layer to clean flask.
Dry over MgSO4.
Transfer liquid to preweighed 150 mL beaker w/3 boiling chips.
125 mL
150 mL

11. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE (PURIFICATION)
Prepare a tap water bath using your 400mL beaker.
Place the water bath on a hotplate and heat the water on a setting of 3 (NO HIGHER) until just above room temp.
Remove water bath from hotplate.
Slowly place the 150mL beaker containing diethyl ether into the water bath to evaporate the liquid solvent.
If the solution boils too rapidly, remove it immediately until it ceases to boil!
150 mL
400 mL

12. EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE (PRODUCT ANALYSIS)
Place LABELED 150mL beaker in oven for 10 minutes to dry. Reweigh.
Repeat if %yield is greater than 100%!
Reweigh to obtain final product mass and calculate % yield.
Perform melting point analysis.
YOUR NAME HERE

13. Table 19.1 Theoretical yield (g) Actual yield (g) % yield
Calculate based on 9-fluorenol ONLY! Bleach is used in excess!
Actual yield (g)
(Beaker + product weight) – (empty beaker weight)
% yield
(Actual yield/theoretical yield) X 100
Melting Range (oC)
Compare to lit value of 81-85oC.
Product Appearance
Physical state and color of product

14. Table 19.2 Atom Economy (%) Cost per Synthesis ($) Cost per gram ($/g)
Should be calculated based on 9-Fluorenol and hypochlorous acid (HOCl), NOT bleach (NaOCl)
Review Experiment 13 for calculation.
Cost per Synthesis ($)
Remember to calculate COST PER SYNTHESIS using 9-Fluorenol, bleach, acetic acid and acetone.
Cost of stock bottles on p. 167!
Cost per gram ($/g)
COST PER SYNTHESIS/ACTUAL YIELD

15. Table 19.3 Compound TLC Rf values Standards Sample 9-fluorenone
Rf values are UNITLESS!
Rf values are 2 decimal places ONLY!
If more than one TLC experiment is performed, record data from final TLC plate!
9-fluorenol

16. IR Spectroscopy
Remember to concentrate on the types of bonds that indicate the CONVERSION from reactant to product!
3041
3196
1031
3060
1716

17. Table 19.4 Functional Group Base Values (cm-1) 9-fluorenol
9-fluorenone
OH stretch
C-O stretch
C=O stretch
sp2 CH stretch

18. Acetic acid is corrosive!
SAFETY CONCERNS
DIETHYL ETHER IS EXTREMELY FLAMMABLE! NEVER place diethyl ether directly on a hotplate!
Acetic acid is corrosive!

19. WASTE MANAGEMENT
“LIQUID WASTE” container: any/all liquid waste from extraction and TLC experiment.
“SOLID WASTE” container: any/all solid waste from synthesis and purification.
BROKEN GLASS box: Place used TLC and melting point capillaries.

20. CLEANING Clean all glassware with soap, water, and brush if necessary.
Rinse all glassware with wash acetone before returning to lab drawer.
DO NOT return any glassware to lab drawer dirty or wet.