Methanol → 3-Methoxy-3-oxo-2-phenylpropanoic acid

Reaction equation

[C:1]1([CH:7]([C:11]([OH:13])=[O:12])[C:8]([OH:10])=[O:9])[CH:6]=[CH:5][CH:4]=[CH:3][CH:2]=1.B(F)(F)F.[CH3:18]COCC.CO>>[C:1]1([CH:7]([C:11]([OH:13])=[O:12])[C:8]([O:10][CH3:18])=[O:9])[CH:2]=[CH:3][CH:4]=[CH:5][CH:6]=1

Participants

Reactant 3

HCID 887Methanol

HCID 8000Boron trifluoride etherate

HCID 75791Phenylmalonic acid

Product 1

HCID 28177753-Methoxy-3-oxo-2-phenylpropanoic acid

Procedure

A mixture of phenylmalonic acid (3.6 g, 0.02 mol), boron trifluoride etherate (2.4 mL, 0.02 mol) and 0.8 mL of anhydrous methanol (0.02 mol) was refluxed and stirred for 24 hours. After cooling to room temperature, the reaction mixture was filtered and 20 mL of water was added.