Hydrochloric Acid → Methyl 4-(2-oxopropyl)benzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

Sodium metabisulphate (131 g) in water (300 ml) was added to 1-(4-carbomethoxyphenyl)propan-2-one oxime (37.5 g) in methanol (200 ml) and the mixture refluxed for 6 hours. The reaction mixture was cooled, concentrated hydrochloric acid (100 ml) added, the mixture extracted with chloroform and the combined chloroform extracts washed with water followed by sodium bicarbonate solution. The chloroform layer was dried (MgSO4) and evaporated to give the title compound as an oil (bp 126°-129°/0.7 mm) which crystallised on standing, (mp 40°-47°). τ (CDCl3) 7.88 (3H, s), 6.28 (2H, s), 6.14 (3H, s), 2.77 (2H, d, J=8 Hz), 2,04 (2H, d, J=8 Hz).

Provenance & Evidence