Ethyl orthoformate reacted with pinacol to
form 2-ethoxy-4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3-dioxolan (I) which decomposed on heating
to yield ethanol, carbon dioxide, and 2,3-dimethylbut-2-ene. When subjected to
the same reaction sequence diethyl- D-tartrate, diethyl-meso-tartrate,
meso-1,2-diphenylethane-1,2-diol, and cis-cyclo-hexane-1,2-dial underwent
specific cis-elimination to yield diethyl fumarate, diethyl maleate,
cis-stilbene, and cyclohexane respectively. Glycerol, butane-1,2,4-trial, and
pentane-1,2,5-triol formed polymers which decomposed to yield allyl alcohol,
but-1-en-4-ol, and pent-1-en-5-ol respectively.
Pyrolysis of the monoformyl esters of
cis-cyclohexane-1,2-diol, glycerol, butane-1,2,4-triol, and pentane-l,2,5-trio1
gave the respective products enumerated above whereas the monoformyl ester of
pinacol yielded pinacolone.
When compound (I) was heated in the
presence of p-toluenesulphonic acid it gave ethyl formate, pinacolone,
2,3-dimethylbutadiene, and water.