Lithium Chloride → Methyl 3-(2-bromophenyl)propanoate

Dimethyl 2-(2-bromobenzyl)malonate (54.25 g) was dissolved in a mixture of dimethylsulfoxide (220 ml) and water (3.24 ml), and lithium chloride (15.27 g) was added. The mixture was stirred at 160° C. of a bath temperature for 7.5 hours. After the reaction mixture was left standing for cooling, the solvent was removed by distillation under reduced pressure. The residual concentrate was poured into water, extracted with toluene. The organic layer obtained was washed twice with water and once with a saturated aqueous saline, dried over sodium sulfate, the solvent was removed by distillation under reduced pressure, and the residual concentrate was distilled under reduced pressure (96°-98° C./0.5 mmHg) to give the title compound (30.05 g).