Question

Write a structure for the cyclic product, C₁₈H₂₁NO_4, from the reaction of ammonia, phenylacetaldehyde (PhCH₂CH=O), and two mole equivalents of methyl acetoacetate. How might it be converted into a 2 pyridine?

Answer 1

By using minimum volumes of water in slightly alcaline (pH = 8-10) conditionns by many time extraction by ether. It is the first idea. may be it will unsucsesfull, then You have to find the undissolved in water salt (picrate for example) and workup it. Some other ways may be in more hard cases