AMT Synthesis

[Xicori]

High Bees!!

Swim got his hands on some amount of Indole-3-Aldehyde - so he wants to try the AMT-Synthesis...

At Rhodium there can be found two preperations for the 1st step (alpha-Methyl-beta-indolenideniumethyl Nitronate) - In this step the aldehyde is condensed with nitroethan using dibasic ammonium phosphate or Ac2O, GAA and ammonium acetate...

Now my Question:
Why ammonium phosphare or acetic anhydride is needed in this synthesis? wouldnt it also work to just use sodium acetate and GAA as solvent? - dibasic ammonium phosphate doesnt sound to be very hard to get - is in available OTC somewhere?

Have a nice weekend!  

xicori

[Lilienthal]

Ammoniumacetate / acetic acid definitely works, no need to use acetic acid anhydride. There are way better catalysts around for perfectionists, but it works.