video tutorial Henry reaction between vanillin and nitromethane

Name: video tutorial - Henry reaction between vanillin and nitromethane
Uploaded: 2025-12-11T09:03:44.266Z
Duration: 10 min 44 s
Description: now for our nitromethane we prepared this in the previous video so click on...video so we use this to start with this is about a gram of slightly damp slushy

Objective: conduct a nitromethane–panel reaction with methylamine-catalyzed activation, using panel (10 g) and nitromethane (4.4 g) in ethanol (15 mL).
Catalyst preparation: methylamine hydrochloride dissolved in ethanol; converted to free base with ethanolic potassium hydroxide to form methylamine catalyst in the supernatant; white potassium chloride precipitate forms.
Reaction setup: add catalyst to the nitromethane/aniline mixture and heat under reflux with a condenser for 2 h, then 30 min, allowing color change to yellow then orange/red; maintain gentle reflux.
Crystallization: after cooling, water is added dropwise to promote crystallization, then the mixture is chilled in a fridge to complete crystallization; product collected by vacuum filtration and washed with cold methanol.
Crude product: 7.9 g yellow solid (61% yield based on panel).
Purification: recrystallization from hot methanol; dissolves with ~150 mL methanol, then cooled to yield final product 6.5 g of yellow fluffy crystals (51% yield).
Observations: a large red filtrate is produced; product appears unstable in water and in some organic conditions; tests with ice water and acetone show color changes suggesting decomposition or unusual solubility behavior; keep product dry and refrigerated for future use.