Ferrocenylmethanol synthesis

Method

Ferrocenyl methyl ester (90 mg, 0.369 mmol) was dissolved in anhydrous THF (2 mL) under nitrogen and cooled in an ice bath. LiAlH4 solution (0.54 mL, 1.0 M in THF, 0.540 mmol) was added dropwise and the reaction mixture was refluxed for 1.5 hours. The mixture was then cooled before ethyl acetate (4 mL) and Rochelle's salts (9 mL) were added with stirring. The mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate (3 x 8 mL), dried over MgSO4 and concentrated under reduced pressure. The resulting mixture was then purified using automated column chromatography (silica, EtOAc:hexane = 20:80, 12 CV) to yield a reddish-orange crystalline solid (35 mg, 44%).

TLC Conditions

40:60 EtOAc/hexane, UV