AN OXYGEN-18 STUDY OF ACETAL FORMATION AND HYDROLYSIS

Abstract
A tracer study has been made of acetal formation and hydrolysis. Benzaldehyde and n-butyraldehyde, enriched in O18, on reaction with n-butyl and allyl alcohols, gave acetals of normal isotopic abundance. The label appeared in the water of condensation. Hydrolysis of benzaldehyde di-n-butyl acetal and n-butyraldehyde di-n-butyl acetal in O18 enriched water gave alcohols of normal isotopic content. A slight enrichment due to isotopic exchange was found in allyl alcohol produced by the hydrolysis of benzaldehyde diallyl acetal. These results establish that the reversible reaction proceeds by a fission of the aldehyde-carbon to oxygen bond.

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