An intimate mixture of
150 g. (0.64 mole) of dry ε-benzoylaminocaproic acid (p. 76) and
26.4 g. (0.85 gram atom) of dry red phosphorus is placed in a
1-l. three-necked flask provided with a
separatory funnel, an
air-cooled condenser connected through a
calcium chloride tube to a
water trap, and a
mechanical stirrer (Note
1). The reaction flask is surrounded by an ice-salt mixture, the stirrer started, and
408 g. (131 cc., 2.55 moles) of dry bromine added dropwise from the separatory funnel. When all the
bromine has been added the
cooling bath is removed. The mixture is warmed slowly at first and finally heated on a
steam bath, with stirring, until the
bromine vapors have practically disappeared. The hot mixture is poured slowly into 400 cc. of water in a
1-l. beaker with hand stirring. The viscous acid bromide reacts with the water with the evolution of heat, and the solid acid is formed. The lumps are pulverized, the mixture is replaced in the original reaction flask, and the whole is treated with a slow stream of
sulfur dioxide to remove excess
bromine. The solid product is filtered on a
Büchner funnel, washed with three 50-cc. portions of water, and air-dried. The crude material is dissolved in
250 cc. of hot 95 per cent alcohol, filtered, and poured with stirring into 1 l. of cold water (Note
2). After filtering and air-drying,
130–180 g. (
64–89 per cent of the calculated amount) of
acid melting at
162–165° is obtained.