Isoprenol
Introduction '''Isoprenol''', also known as '''3-methylbut-3-en-1-ol''', is a hemiterpene alcohol. It is produced industrially as an intermediate to 3-methylbut-2-en-1-ol (prenol): global production in 2001 can be estimated as 6–13 thousand tons.Isoprenol is produced by the reaction between isobutene (2-methylpropene) and formaldehyde.The reaction of isobutene with formaldehyde to give isoprenol, the first step in the industrial manufacture of prenol.The thermodynamically preferred prenol with the more substituted double bond cannot be directly formed in the above reaction, but is produced via a subsequent isomerisation:The isomerization of isoprenol to prenol, the second step in the industrial manufacture of prenol.This isomerisation reaction is catalyzed by any species which can form an allyl complex without excessive hydrogenation of the substrate, for example poisoned palladium catalysts.
Notes
References