Preparation of Cyclopentanol / cyclopentanone
Cyclopentanol: 88.5 ml (or 84.1 g) of Cyclopentanol / cyclopentanone are dissolved in the mixture of 750 ml of ether and 150 ml of water. 69 grams of clean sodium are introduced in the form of wire (or small pieces) as rapidly as possible. During the addition of water the reaction must be kept under control and, if necessary, the flask must be cooled in ice.
When all the sodium has reacted, the ethereal layer is separated, wash with 25 ml of dilute hydrochloric acid (1:1), then with water, dried with anhydrous potassium carbonate or with anhydrous calcium sulfate, and distilled through a fractionating column. The fraction boiling at 139-142° C is collected.
A text book of practical organic chemistry, by A. I. Vogel, 255, 1974