Iodine → 5-Iodo-2-(methoxymethyl)-4-methyl-1H-imidazole

Into a 100-mL round-bottom flask, was placed a solution of 2-(methoxymethyl)-4-methyl-1H-imidazole (compound 222.2, 1.9 g, 15.06 mmol) in sodium hydroxide aqueous solution (30 mL, 2M). This was followed by the addition of a solution of iodine (7.7 g, 30.34 mmol) in dichloromethane (30 mL). The reaction mixture was stirred for 1 h at room temperature. The aqueous phase was collected and the pH was adjusted to 4 with hydrogen chloride (2M). The reaction mixture was extracted with 4×30 mL of dichloromethane and the organic layers combined. The resulting mixture was washed with 2×20 mL of sodium sulfite (sat.) and 3×30 mL of brine, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and concentrated under reduced pressure. This resulted in 1.2 g (32%) of the title compound as a yellow solid.