Hydrochloric Acid → 2-(Phenylsulfanyl)ethyl nitroacetate

This compound was prepared according to a known process (British Pat. No. 835,521 Spec.). Namely, a solution of β-phenylthioethylalcohol (50g) in dichloromethane (15ml) was saturated with dry hydrogen chloride at 0° C. and to the resulting solution was added, in three portions, dipottassium nitroacetate (27.5g). During the addition, hydrogen chloride was passed into the well stirred mixture while the temperature was allowed to rise to 10° C. Then the gas supply was stopped and the reaction mixture was stirred for 4 hours at less than 10° C. After stirring for 20 hours at 0° C., excess β-phenylthioethyl-alcohol was removed under reduced pressure and the remaining solution was kept to cool, the crystals precipitated was washed with water and then with n-hexane, giving β-phenylthioethyl nitroacetate (11.1g), m.p. 22.0°-24.0° C..