1-Chloro-2-methylbutane is a halogenated organic building block. It can be synthesized by employing 2-methylbutanol as starting reagent. Grignard reagent derived from (+)-1-chloro-2-methylbutane may be employed for the preparation of partially optically active (-)-alkylphenylcarbinols and partially optically active secondary carbinols. Infrared and Raman spectra of its optically active form (+)(S)-1-chloro-2-methylbutane in various phases (liquid, glass and crystal) have been evaluated.
Purify the chloride by stirring vigorously with 95% H2SO4, replacing the acid when it becomes coloured, until the layer remains colourless after 12hours stirring. The amyl chloride is then washed with saturated Na2CO3 solution, then distilled water, and dried with anhydrous MgSO4, followed by filtration, and distillation through a 10-in Vigreux column (p 11). Alternatively a stream of oxygen containing 5% ozone is passed through the amyl chloride for three times as long as it takes to cause the first coloration of starch iodide paper by the exit gas. The liquid is washed with NaHCO3 solution to hydrolyze the ozonides and remove organic acids prior to drying and fractional distillation [Chien & Willard J Am Chem Soc 75 6160 1953]. The S(+)-enantiomer has b 50-51o/140mm, 100o/760, mm, [] D +1.64o (neat) [Brown et al. J Am Chem Soc 62 3437 1940]. [Beilstein 1 H 134, 1 I 46, 1 III 356, 1 IV 326.]
