Hydrochloric Acid → 4-(4-Ethylphenyl)-4-oxobutanoic acid

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Reaction Steps

5 cm3 of ethylbenzene and 2.6 g of aluminum chloride are mixed with magnetic stirring in a 50-cm3 flask. The solution is cooled in an ice bath and 1 g of succinic anhydride is then added. The reaction mixture is stirred for 1 h 30 min at a temperature of 0° C. and then for 3 h at room temperature. It is poured into ice. The resulting mixture is acidified by adding 1N hydrochloric acid (pH 3-4). It is extracted with 3 volumes of ether. The organic phases are washed 3 times with 10% potassium carbonate solution. The aqueous phases are combined and acidified by adding concentrated hydrochloric acid. The precipitate obtained is drained and then recrystallized.

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