Hydroxypivaldehyde Explained

Hydroxypivaldehyde is the organic compound with the formula HOCH2(CH3)2CCHO. A colorless liquid, it is produced by condensation of formaldehyde and isobutyraldehyde:

CH2O + (CH3)2CHCHO → HOCH2(CH3)2CCHOThe compound is a rare example of a distillable aldol (3-hydroxyaldehyde). Upon standing, it dimerizes reversibly to the dioxane derivative.

Applications

Hydroxypivaldehyde is a precursor to vitamin B5 as is practiced commercially.[1]

Hydroxypivaldehyde is also a precursor to neopentyl glycol by hydrogenation:

HOCH2(CH3)2CCHO + H2 → (CH3)2C(CH2OH)2

References

  1. 10.1002/anie.201205886 . One Hundred Years of Vitamins-A Success Story of the Natural Sciences . 2012 . Eggersdorfer . Manfred . Laudert . Dietmar . Létinois . Ulla . McClymont . Tom . Medlock . Jonathan . Netscher . Thomas . Bonrath . Werner . Angewandte Chemie International Edition . 51 . 52 . 12975 . 23208776 .

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