Formic Acid → 4-Benzyl-2-(2-chloro-4-fluoro-phenyl)morpholine

Reaction equation

C(O)=O.[CH2:4]([NH:11][CH2:12][CH2:13]O)[C:5]1[CH:10]=[CH:9][CH:8]=[CH:7][CH:6]=1.Br[CH2:16][C:17]([C:19]1[CH:24]=[CH:23][C:22]([F:25])=[CH:21][C:20]=1[Cl:26])=[O:18]>C(Cl)Cl>[CH2:4]([N:11]1[CH2:12][CH2:13][O:18][CH:17]([C:19]2[CH:24]=[CH:23][C:22]([F:25])=[CH:21][C:20]=2[Cl:26])[CH2:16]1)[C:5]1[CH:10]=[CH:9][CH:8]=[CH:7][CH:6]=1

Participants

Procedure

Combine formic acid (98-100%; 0.30 mL, 8 mmol) and 2-benzylaminoethanol (1.21 g, 8 mmol) and cool the resulting mixture with an ice bath. Add 2-bromo-1-(2-chloro-4-fluoro-phenyl)ethanone (1.0 g, 4 mmol); heat the mixture to reflux; and stir at that temperature for 20 h. Dilute the mixture with DCM and wash with saturated aqueous Na2CO3 solution. Dry organic phases over MgSO4; filter; collect the filtrate; and concentrate under reduced pressure. Purify via flash column chromatography eluting with a gradient of 0-20% methyl tertiary-butyl ether in hexanes. Combine the product fractions and remove the solvents under reduced pressure to give the title compound as a yellow oil (1.22 g, 43%). MS (m/z): 306 (M+1).