Benzyl Bromide → 4-Benzyloxymethyl-2-methoxy-1-nitro-benzene

Reaction equation

C(=O)([O-])[O-].[Cs+].[Cs+].[CH3:7][O:8][C:9]1[CH:10]=[C:11]([CH:14]=[CH:15][C:16]=1[N+:17]([O-:19])=[O:18])[CH2:12][OH:13].[CH2:20](Br)[C:21]1[CH:26]=[CH:25][CH:24]=[CH:23][CH:22]=1>C(OCC)C>[CH2:20]([O:13][CH2:12][C:11]1[CH:14]=[CH:15][C:16]([N+:17]([O-:19])=[O:18])=[C:9]([O:8][CH3:7])[CH:10]=1)[C:21]1[CH:26]=[CH:25][CH:24]=[CH:23][CH:22]=1

Participants

Procedure

To a stirred suspension of finely powdered cesium carbonate (8.0 g, 24.5 mmol) was added 3-methoxy-4-nitrobenzyl alcohol (1.5 g, 8.18 mmol), followed by benzyl bromide, (2 mL, 16.4 mmol). After stirring at room temperature for 18 h, the suspension diluted with 100 mL diethyl ether, and washed with 3×50 mL water, then 50 mL brine. The organic phase was dried over MgSO4, filtered through a plug of silica, and concentrated. The resulting orange oil was purified by flash chromatography, eluting with 2:1 hexane-EtOAc, to give 1.87 g, (84%) of the benzyl ether. 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ7.85 (d, J=8.2 Hz, 1H) 7.3-7.4 (m, 5H), 7.26 (s, 1H), 6.97 (d, J=8.2 Hz, 1H), 4.61 (s, 2H), 4.59(s, 2H), 3.96 (s, 3H).