Methyl 2-methylfuran-3-carboxylate → 2-Methylfuran-3-carboxamide

(2-Methylfuran-3-yl)methanamine: A solution of 10 mmol (1.256 ml) of methyl 2-methylfuran-3-carboxylate and 38.9 mmol (2.1 g) of NaOMe in 20 ml of formamide was stirred at 100° C. for 30 min. The reaction mixture was poured into ice-water (20 ml) and extracted with ethyl acetate (3×). The extract was dried over MgSO4 and concentrated to give 1.05 g (83%) of 2-methylfuran-3-carboxamide as oil (m/e=126.2 [M+1]). The amide was dissolved in dry THF (10 ml) and drop-wise added to 15 ml of 1M LiAlH4 with 15 ml THF at 0° C. under argon. Then the mixture was stirred for 5 hrs at 60° C. Following cooling, 50% aqueous THF (30 ml) was added to the mixture at 5-10° C. The resulting precipitate was removed by filtration and the filtered solution was dried and concentrated to give an oily product (0.93 g, 84%).