Hydrochloric Acid → 1-[4-Fluoro-2-(methylamino)phenyl]ethanone

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Reaction Steps

A mixture of a solution of methylamine in industrial methylated spirit (33% w/w; 315.8 ml), industrial methylated spirit (291.6 ml), 2'-chloro-4'-fluoroacetophenone (203.4 g) and copper powder (2.8 g) was heated to 80° in a glass autoclave over a period of 1 hour. The mixture was stirred at 80° for a further 2 hours and then allowed to cool to 45° over a period of 1 hour. The mixture was transferred to a second vessel and the autoclave rinsed with industrial methylated spirit (50 ml) which was then added to the second vessel. The mixture was heated to 50°. A solution of sodium sulphide nonahydrate (11.2 g) in water (117 ml) was added and the mixture was heated at 50° for a further 15 minutes. The mixture was filtered and the residue washed with industrial methylated spirit (100 ml). The filtrate and washings were combined and evaporated to give a brown oil. The brown oil was stirred with hydrochloric acid (5M; 800 ml) for 2.5 hours and then dichloromethane (600 ml) added. The layers were separated and the aqueous phase further extracted with dichloromethane (2×300 ml). The organic phases were combined and evaporated to give 4'-fluoro-2'-(methylamino)-acetophenone as a brown oil which solidified at ambient temperature.

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