Methanol → Methyl 4-bromo-2-hydroxybenzoate

4-Bromosalicylic acid (15.5 g, 71 mmol) was dissolved in methanol (500 ml), and concentrated sulfuric acid (9.7 g, 99 mmol) was added thereto. The reaction mixture was refluxed for 24 hrs, and the solvent was evaporated. The residue was neutralized with 2 N aqueous sodium hydroxide solution and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with saturated brine and dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate. The solvent was evaporated. The residue was subjected to a silica gel column chromatography. The fractions eluted with ethyl acetate-hexane (1:20, v/v) were collected and concentrated to give methyl 4-bromosalicylate (8.7 g, 52%). Methyl 4-bromosalicylate (8.7 g, 37 mmol) and N,N-dimethylthiocarbamoyl chloride (6.0 g, 48 mmol) were dissolved in DMF (80 ml), and 1,4-diazabicyclo[2.2.2]octane (5.5 g, 49 mmol) was added thereto. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 24 hrs. The reaction mixture was combined with ethyl acetate and water. The organic layer was washed with saturated brine and dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate. The solvent was evaporated, and the residue was subjected to a silica gel column chromatography. The fractions eluted with ethyl acetate-hexane (1:4, v/v) were collected, concentrated and recrystallized from ethyl acetate-hexane to give the titled compound (10.6 g, 88%) as white crystals.