74205-82-6

1-Hydroxymethyl-1,2,4-triazole is useful in the synthesis of novel triazole compounds that have anti-fungal properties.

Step 1. Preparation of (1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)methanol 1H-1,2,4-triazole (7.04 g, 102 mmol) was mixed with paraformaldehyde (3.06 g, 102 mmol) and catalytic amount of triethylamine was added. The mixture was heated to a molten state (140°C) and stirred at this temperature for 0.5 hours. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was cooled to 30 °C to give a white solid product (9.0 g, 89% yield).

[1] Heterocyclic Communications, 2001, vol. 7, # 6, p. 577 - 582
[2] Phosphorus and Sulfur and the Related Elements, 1987, vol. 33, p. 41 - 52
[3] Tetrahedron, 2010, vol. 66, # 47, p. 9145 - 9150
[4] Chemistry of Heterocyclic Compounds (New York, NY, United States), 1980, vol. 16, # 2, p. 189 - 194
[5] Khimiya Geterotsiklicheskikh Soedinenii, 1980, vol. 16, # 2, p. 251 - 256