Methanol → Octyl 4,4-dinitropentanoate

Dinitroethane (2.4 g, 0.02 mol) and potassium hydroxide (1.2 g, 0.22 mol) were dissolved in 50 mL of water to form a first solution. 50 mL of water was added to the first solution to dissolve a salt remaining in the first solution to form a second solution. Octyl acrylate (10.2 mL, 0.05 mol) was mixed with 50 mL of methanol, and then the mixture was slowly added to the second solution to form a third solution. The third solution was stirred at room temperature for 4 hours. The reaction product was extracted by diethyl ether, and was then distilled under reduced pressure to obtain yellow liquid octyl 4,4-dinitropentanoate (5.0 g, yield: 82%).