Acetic Acid → Ethyl 2-benzyl-3-oxopropanoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a suspension of NaH (2.338 g, 58.5 mmol) in DME (20 mL) was added dropwise a solution of ethyl 3-phenylpropanoate (3.2 g, 19.49 mmol) and ethyl formate (6.28 mL, 78 mmol) in DME (20 mL) at room temperature. The reaction mixture was then stirred overnight. It was neutralized with acetic acid (4 mL), then extracted with EtOAc. The organic phase was collected, washed with brine, dried over Na2SO4, filtered, and concentrated affording the crude title compound (4.02 g, 100% yield). LCMS: rt=2.82 and 3.51 min (a mixture of ketone and enol isomer), [M+H+]=207.1

Provenance & Evidence