Answer Happy

1. Valproic acid is used to treat epilepsy, bipolar disorder, and prevent migraine headaches. You want to synthesize valproic acid from acetic acid or acetaldehyde. HO valproic acid a. You note the 3 carbon branch in valproic acid is on the carbon. This means you can make an ion, which is a and use RX in a reaction. Give a one word answer in each blank. b. For your starting material, you can use either acetic acid or acetaldehyde. You want to react one of these compounds with a base to form an enolate ion. base R-X B D . enolate ion A HO or OH acetic acid acetaldehyde E с valproic acid B X (i) You decide to use acetaldehyde instead of acetic acid. Explain why you would choose acetaldehyde. (ii) Draw the structure of the enolate ion. c. You want to react the enolate ion with RX. (i) Draw the structure of the RX you would use to make valproic acid. (ii) Draw the structure of Compound A. (iii) Compound A reacts with reagent(s) B to form Compound C. Identify reagent(s) B. (iv) Compound C can react with reagent(s) B to form Compound X, an unwanted side product that decreases the yield of valproic acid. Draw the structure of Compound X. (v) Identify reagent D so you can convert Compound C to valproic acid. d. The enolate ion can react with Compound E to form Compound F, an unwanted 4 carbon side product that decreases the yield of valproic acid. (i) Draw the structure of Compound E. (ii) You can lower or minimize the amount of Compound F that forms by choosing the appropriate base to make the enolate ion. You would choose because this acid-base reaction favors the which means there would be of Compound E to react with the enolate ion. Blank 1: answer OH' or NH : Blank 2: answer reactants or products. Blank 3: answer more or less.