R1= CHI-or C6HS-or C~ H~ CHT; Ra= CsHbCHz aluminum hydride to the knownlZ l-methyl- 2-hydroxymethylimidazole. A picrate of the hydroxymethyl derivative melted at 139- 140'compared with the reported12 value of 138'. Since the yield of VI (Rz= CH3) was only about 10% after considerable loss during purification, it was converted to the corresponding hydrazide which was shown to be identical with the hydrazide from the metalation acid ( ...
