Hydrochloric Acid → 3-Methyl-1(3H)-isobenzofuranone

Participants

Reaction Steps

100.96 g of 2-acetylbenzoic acid (3-1) was dissolved in 500 ml of aqueous solution of 41.37 g of potassium hydroxide, to which 20.35 g of sodium boron hydride was added little by little at a room temperature. The resulting mixture was stirred at a room temperature for 2 days, and thereafter, the resulting mixture was adjusted to pH 1 with concentrated hydrochloric acid and extracted with chloroform. The resulting organic layer was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and thereafter, the solvent was distilled off under reduced pressure. The resulting residue was purified by distilling under reduced pressure (117-121° C./3-5 mmHg) to obtain 86.45 g of 3-methylphthalide (3-2).

Provenance & Evidence