IMPORTANT NOTES
Experiment 10: Synthesis of trans-9-(2-Phenylethenyl)anthracene:
A Wittig Reaction -- CER REAC 721

1. Perform semi-microscale synthesis.
2. TLC monitoring of the reaction:
   a. Before you start the reaction in Part 1, set up a TLC developing
      chamber with toluene.  Prepare in a small test tube a TLC spotting
      sample (also in toluene) of your starting material (9-anthraldehyde). 
      Make sure you have enough TLC spotters.
   b. Prepare 3 TLC plates for spotting of starting material and
      reaction mixture.
   c. Immediately after the addition of 50% NaOH, spot your first TLC
      plate with starting material and reaction mixture.  Develop the
      plate in the chamber.  Mark the solvent front, and examine your
      chromatogram under the UV lamp.  Mark the spots with pencil and
      observe their intensity.  
   d. Repeat part c. two more times at fifteen minutes intervals (15 
      and 30 minutes).  Do new spots appear? Which spots get lighter?  
      Has your reaction gone to completion?  Why?
3. Page 5, section 1:  Add 6 mL of dichloromethane instead of 3 mL.
4. Product Characterization: Melting point, no IR, TLC