Neopentyl alcohol

Neopentyl alcohol is a compound with formula ₃CCH₂OH. It is a colorless solid. The compound is one of the eight isomers of pentyl alcohol.

Preparation and reactions

Neopentyl alcohol can be prepared from the hydroperoxide of diisobutylene.
It can also be prepared by the reduction of trimethylacetic acid with lithium aluminium hydride.
Neopentyl alcohol was the first described in 1891 by L. Tissier, who prepared it by reduction of a mixture of trimethyl acetic acid and trimethylacetyl chloride with sodium amalgam.
Neopentyl alcohol can be converted to neopentyl iodide by treatment with triphenylphosphite/methyl iodide: