Diethyl Oxalate → 2,4-Dioxo-4-phenyl-butyric acid ethyl ester

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Reaction Steps

In 560 ml of ethanol was dissolved 25 g (1.08 eq.) of sodium and a mixture of 135.6ml (146 g; 1 mol) of diethyl oxalate and 116.7 ml (120 g; 1 mol) of acetophenone was added thereto dropwise at 40° C. One hour later, reflux was begun and it was continued for 30 minutes. The solvent was distilled off. The residue was neutralized with sulfuric acid (55 g/water 200 ml), and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with water and a saturated aqueous solution of sodium chloride, and dried over magnesium sulfate. Thereafter, the solvent was distilled off, and the residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (eluent: dichloromethane/hexane 1:1), to give colorless plates. The crystals were recovered by filtration with ethyl acetate/hexane. Yield: 114.6 g.

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