Methyl 3-amino-4-methylbenzoate → (3-Amino-4-methylphenyl)methanol

Participants

Reaction Steps

Methyl 3-amino-4-methylbenzoate (16.52 g, 0.1 mol) was dissolved in diglyme (150 ml), lithium borohydride (2.18 g, 0.1 mol) added, and the solution stirred at room temperature overnight. A further portion of lithium borohydride (2.18 g, 0.1 mol) was added, and the mixture heated at reflux for 20 minutes. The reaction was quenched with water, the solvent evaporated, the residue dissolved in water, the solution adjusted to pH 5 with hydrochloric acid, and the product extracted into dichloromethane. Drying, evaporation and trituration with ether gave 3-amino-4-methylbenzyl alcohol (7.3 g, 54%), m.p. 105°-107°.

Provenance & Evidence