Process for preparing allylic alcohols from allylic halides

Abstract From the Canadian patent

A process for preparing allylic alcohols from allylic halides is provided by way of the intermediate formation of an ester in the presence of a water-insoluble ketone forming an azeotrope in water followed by saponification of the ester with alkali metal hydroxide drying the alkali, metal carboxylic acid salt formed during the saponification by azeotropic distillation with the ketone, thus obviating expensive separate recovery facilities and handling of the dried alkali metal carboxylate salt. The overall process amounts to a hydrolysis of the allylic halide with aqueous alkali metal hydroxide and one reactor can serve for the whole process.