INTRODUCTION
The goal of this experiment was the synthesis of 3-nitrochalcone from 3-nitrobenzaldehyde and acetophenone as shown in Figure 1:
Figure 1: Synthesis of 3-Nitrochalcone from 3-Nitrobenzaldehyde and Acetophenone Source: cnx.org
The mechanism for the synthesis of 3-nitrochalcone is presented in Figure 2. The alpha carbon on the acetophenone is deprotonated, followed by the attack of the alpha carbon anion on the carbonyl carbon on the 3-nitrobenzaldehyde. Next, is the protonation of the oxygen from the 3-nitrobenzaldehyde, which is then followed by an elimination reaction where this acts as a leaving group. The product is the trans-alkene present in the product.
Figure 2: Mechanism …show more content…
For the theoretical mass calculation, a mole of 3-nitrochalcone is used. The purity of the product is confirmed based on the experimental melting point of 142°C which is in close vicinity of the literature melting point of 146°C. Potential source of errors could be in the filtration process which could decrease the actual yield. In addition, there could be moisture present in the solid leading to errors in the weight. Based on the NMR spectral data, the frequency of the signals was 15.6Hz, which is very close to the theoretical frequency of 12-18Hz. This confirms that the compound is