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Solvent-Free N‑Formylation: An Experimental Application of Basic Concepts and Techniques of Organic Chemistry

Research Authors
Yasser M. Omar, Noha G. Mohamed, Andrew N. Boshra, and Abu-Baker M. Abdel-Aal
Research Journal
Journal of Chemical Education
Research Publisher
ACS Publications
Research Rank
1
Research Vol
Vol. 95, Article 4
Research Website
https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.jchemed.9b00983
Research Year
2020
Research Member
Research Abstract

N-Formamides are important intermediates in the synthesis of many pharmacologically active compounds and are used as protecting groups for amines or as catalysts in different reactions. The current N-formylation experiment is designed as a part of an introductory organic chemistry course for undergraduate students. The experiment includes formylation of substituted aromatic amines using formic acid under solvent-free conditions. Students are introduced to laboratory safety precautions, reaction mechanism, and basic laboratory techniques such as a solvent-free reaction setup, reflux, filtration, melting point determination, yield calculation, and lab report write-up. Students synthesized four different formamides in 50–80% yield as a straightforward application of nucleophilic substitution reactions.