Purification Methods
If 2-adamantanol is a suspected impurity, then dissolve the substance (10g) in acetone (100mL) and add Jones's reagent [CrO3 (10.3g) in H2O (30mL)], then conc H2SO4 (8.7mL) is added dropwise (turns green in colour) until excess reagent is present (slight red colour). Stir overnight, decant the acetone solution from the Cr salts and adamantan-2-one, dry (Na2SO4) and evaporate to dryness. The residue (ca 7g) is chromatographed through Al2O3 (250g) and washed with 50% *benzene/pet ether (b 40-60o), then 100% Et2O (to remove any adamantan-2-one present) and the 1-adamantanol is then eluted with 5% MeOH in Et2O. The eluate is evaporated, and the residue is recrystallised from pet ether (b 30-60o) at -70o, m 287.2-288.5o. It also crystallises from MeOH and can be sublimed in vacuo. It has characteristic IR, max 3640, 1114, 1086, 982 and 930cm-1. [Schleyer & Nicholas J Am Chem Soc 83 182 1961.] [Beilstein 6 IV 391.] Alternatively, if free from the 2-isomer, dissolve it in tetrahydrofuran, dilute with H2O to precipitate the alcohol. Collect, dry and sublime it in a vacuum at 130o. [Stetter et al. Chem Ber 92 1629 1959.]
