An oxime was prepared by combining .5 mole of ketone with 1 mole of NH2OH, and bringing the contents to reflux in 800ML MeOH. The oxime was a white oil, that partialy separated upon cooling. It was isolated by stripping of the solvent in a rotorvap, but not allowed to dry up to a solid.
This oil was placed in ethanol, which was dryed with silica gel in the freezer for a couple of hours, along with 20g Raney Ni, into a hydrogenation apparatus. The pressure was brought up to 2.5 bar, and the stirrer speed was 1500 rpm.
(The Ni was washed down with a bit of water, dew to time constaints.)
After only 1.5 hours the absorbtion has completely stopped, and after 2 hours the reaction was stopped. The catalyst was fitered off, and a crystal clear oil dropped out of the solution. It was separated off, and the remainder of the alcohol was evaporated off in a rotorvap, leaving more crystal clear residue. The clear oil was combined, and represented a 92% yeild!!! It was not the target molecule
Where am I going wrong??
P.S. The ketone was tested with the bisulfate test.