In PiHKAL, Shulgin frequently adds conc. H2SO4 to LAH/THF before adding the nitrostyrene... can somebee explain to me how this works and if it is a good/necessary thing to do or not?
Example:
A solution of 2.0g LAH in 100mL anhydrous THF under He was cooled to 0°C and vigorously stirred. There was added, dropwise, 1.3mL of 100% H2SO4, followed by the dropwise addition of a solution of 3.1g 3,4-dimethoxy-5-ethoxy-beta-nitrostyrene in 50mL anhydrous THF, over the course of 10 min. The mixture was stirred at 0°C for a while, and then brought to a reflux on the steam bath for 30 min. After cooling again, the excess hydride was destroyed with IPA in THF, followed by the addition of 20mL 10% NaOH which was sufficient to convert the solids to a white and granular form. These were removed by filtration, the filter cake washed with IPA, the mother liquor and filtrates combined, and the solvents removed under vacuum. The residue was added to 150mL dilute H2SO4, and the cloudy suspension washed with 2x 75mL CH2Cl2 which removed much of the color. The aqueous phase was made basic with 25% NaOH, and extracted with 3x 50mL CH2Cl2. The solvent was removed from these pooled extracts and the residue distilled at 103-116°C at 0.25 mm/Hg to provide 2.3g of a colorless viscous liquid. This was dissolved in 10mL IPA, neutralized with about 25 drops of concentrated HCl, which produced an insoluble white solid. This was diluted with 40mL anhydrous Et2O added slowly with continuous stirring. The white crystalline 3,4-dimethoxy-5-ethoxyphenethylamine hydrochloride was isolated by filtration, washed with Et2O, and air dried, and weighed 2.4g. It had a mp of 202-203 °C which increased by one degree upon recrystallization from boiling IPA.
Many thankx,
IudexK