Oxalyl chloride → 2-Benzoyl-6-methylpyridine

Reaction equation

[CH3:1][C:2]1[N:7]=[C:6]([C:8]([OH:10])=O)[CH:5]=[CH:4][CH:3]=1.[C:11](Cl)(=O)[C:12](Cl)=O.[Al+3].[Cl-].[Cl-].[Cl-]>C1C=CC=CC=1>[C:8]([C:6]1[N:7]=[C:2]([CH3:1])[CH:3]=[CH:4][CH:5]=1)(=[O:10])[C:12]1[CH:11]=[CH:4][CH:3]=[CH:2][CH:1]=1

Participants

Procedure

To 15 g of 6 -methyl-2-pyridylcarboxylic acid (122 mmol) in 200 ml benzene is added dropwise 19.1 g (150 mmol) oxalyl chloride (dissolved in 30 ml benzene) with ice bath cooling. After 1 hr, solvent and excess chloride are removed. Concentrate is taken up in 100 ml benzene, cooled to ~10° & 175 mmol AlCl3 added. The solution is heated to 25° for 1 hour, then heated to reflux for 2 hours, and finally cooled and stirred overnight. The mixture is poured onto ice/conc. HCl, then washed with ether. Fifty Percent (50%) sodium hydroxide is added until the precipitate is dissolved. The solution is extracted with CHCl3, washed with water, dried and stripped, leaving 6-benzoyl-2-methylpyridine.