Show how you would synthesize the following compounds from any starting materials containing no more than six carbon atoms. (b)
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Step 1: Analyze the target molecule. The compound is a ketone with a cyclopentyl group and a phenyl group attached to the carbonyl carbon. This suggests that the synthesis will involve forming a ketone and attaching the two groups to the carbonyl carbon.
Step 2: Choose starting materials with no more than six carbons. For the phenyl group, benzene or a derivative like bromobenzene can be used. For the cyclopentyl group, cyclopentane or cyclopentyl bromide can be used.
Step 3: Use Friedel-Crafts acylation to introduce the phenyl group. React benzene with an acyl chloride (e.g., acetyl chloride) in the presence of AlCl₃ to form acetophenone. This introduces the phenyl group attached to a carbonyl group.
Step 4: Prepare the cyclopentyl group. Cyclopentyl bromide can be synthesized from cyclopentane using bromination. Then, use a Grignard reaction to attach the cyclopentyl group to the carbonyl carbon of acetophenone. React cyclopentyl magnesium bromide with acetophenone to form the desired ketone.
Step 5: Purify the product. Use techniques like distillation or recrystallization to isolate and purify the final compound. Confirm the structure using spectroscopic methods such as NMR or IR.
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Key Concepts
Here are the essential concepts you must grasp in order to answer the question correctly.
Functional Groups
Functional groups are specific groups of atoms within molecules that are responsible for the characteristic chemical reactions of those molecules. Understanding the functional groups present in the target compounds is essential for determining the appropriate reactions and starting materials needed for synthesis.
Reaction mechanisms describe the step-by-step process by which reactants are converted into products. Familiarity with common mechanisms, such as nucleophilic substitution or elimination reactions, is crucial for predicting how to construct the desired compounds from simpler starting materials.
Retrosynthetic analysis is a strategy used in organic synthesis to deconstruct a target molecule into simpler precursor structures. This approach helps chemists identify viable starting materials and the necessary reactions to achieve the desired compound, making it a fundamental tool in synthetic organic chemistry.