Brittany Finger

9H-Fluoren-9-one (1.24 g) and methanol (20 mL) were added to a 125-mL

Erlenmeyer flask, placed in an ice-water bath and stirred. Sodium borohydride (0.89 g,

0.024 mol) is slowly added in portions to the flask; the rate of addition is adjusted to

mantain the temperature below 30 °C. After the complete addition of sodium borohydride,

the reaction mixture was stirred at 50 °C. After 15 minutes, the reaction was complete and

3 M HCl (5 mL) was added to destroy any excess sodium borohydride. I then added

saturated sodium chloride and cooled it in an ice-bath until the temperature remained at

20 °C, it took forever to cool. The solution was then transferred to a separatory funnel and

extracted with methyl tert-butyl ether (2 x 10 mL). The methyl tert-butyl ether layer was

washed with water (10mL), saturated NaHCO 3 (15mL), and saturated NaCl (15mL). The

organic layer was than decanted into a 125-mL Erlenmeyer flask and dried with sodium

sulfate. The solution was filtered and rotary evaporated to yield 0.89 g (71.8%) of white

solid.

Mistake 1:
Sodium borohydride (0.89 g, 0.024 mol) is slowly added ( instead of is it should be was)

Mistake 2:
the rate of addition is adjusted to mantain the temperature ( should be maintain)

Mistake 3:
I then added saturated ( should be The saturated was added no I)

Mistake 4:
and cooled it in an ice-bath ( an ice bath was used to cool)

Mistake 5:
it took forever to cool (The saturated sodium chloride took a long time to cool)

Mistake 6:
of white solid ( of the white solid)

Experimental:

The contents in the large plastic or glass pitcher were emptied. 1 cup of sugar was
then added. Cold water was added to make 2 quarts. The liquid was then stirred and
dissolved to make Kool-aide.