Sodium Hydroxide → 3'-Fluoro-2-(methoxymethyl)-2'-methylbiphenyl-4-carboxylic acid

A 5N aqueous solution of NaOH (5.0 mL, 25 mmol) was added into a solution of methyl 3′-fluoro-2-(methoxymethyl)-2′-methylbiphenyl-4-carboxylate (4.85 g, 16.8 mmol) in EtOH (50 mL). The reaction mixture was heated at 60° C. for 1 hour, and then was concentrated under reduced pressure. The residue was taken up with MTBE (100 mL), water (50 mL) and a 5N aqueous solution of HCl (6 mL). The layers were separated and the organic layer was washed with water (50 mL) and brine (50 mL). The aqueous layers were extracted with MTBE (50 mL). The organic layers were combined, dried (MgSO4) and concentrated under reduced pressure. After purification by crystallization from a mixture of MTBE and pentane, the title compound was obtained as a white powder (3.85 g, 83%). HPLC (Method A), Rt: 4.2 min (purity: 99.8%). UPLC/MS, M−(ESI): 273.0. 1H NMR (DMSO-d6, 300 MHz) δ 13.06 (s, 1H), 8.09 (d, J=1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.92 (dd, J=7.9, 1.7 Hz, 1H), 7.35-7.17 (m, 3H), 6.97 (d, J=7.6 Hz, 1H), 4.13 (s, 2H), 3.18 (s, 3H), 1.90 (d, J=2.3 Hz, 3H).