Benzene → Ethyl (4-chlorophenyl)acetate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To p-chlorophenylacetic acid (85.30 g, 0.50 mole) was added ethanol (92 g, 2.0 mole), benzene (78.11 g) and conc. sulfuric acid (2.5 g, 0.025 mole) and the azeotropic dehydration reaction was performed for 6 hours. After completion of the reaction, water (200 ml) was added to the reaction mixture, while it was cool and the solution was extracted with diethyl ether. The ether layer was dried with anhydrous sodium sulfate, diethyl ether was distilled off under reduced pressure and the resulting residue was distilled under reduced pressure to give 96.30 g (96.9%) of the title compound as a colorless liquid, b.p. 105°-106° C./2.5 mmHg (lit. 130° C./13 mmHg).

Provenance & Evidence