Ethanol → 3-(2',4'-Difluoro-4-biphenylyl)butyric acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

3.02 g. of 3-(2',4'-difluoro-4-biphenylyl)-2-butenoic acid ethyl ester in 14 ml. of 1 N sodium hydroxide solution and 30 ml. of ethanol are heated under reflux for 3 hours. 40 ml. of water are added and 55 g. of 2.5% sodium amalgam are added in portions, at 25° with stirring, over the course of 5 hours. The mixture is stirred for 5 hours more and warmed on a water bath. The supernatant liquor is decanted from the mercury. Alcohol is distilled off and the reaction mixture is worked up in the customary manner to give 3-(2',4'-difluoro-4-biphenylyl)butyric acid, m.p. 109°-110°.

Provenance & Evidence