A New Method of Synthesis of Nonyl Alcohol

This paper describes a new method for synthesis of nonyl alcohol using pelargonic acid as starting material. The procedure is as follows.Mix pelargonic acid with butyl alcohol and small amount of sulfuric acid and reflux for one and half hours to give butyl pelargonate. The ester was reduced with metallic sodium in the presence of a large amount of n-butyl alcohol until all the sodium disappears. Then pass steam to drive out the crude nonyl alcohol, fractionating in vacco and collect the pure nonvl alcohol at lO4℃112℃/8mm5.5 parts of nonyl alcohol can be obtained from 10 parts of pelargcnic acid and the yield is 87% (based on the pelargonic acid actually used)