Ethanol → Ethyl 4-(hydroxymethyl)benzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

4 g (26.3 mmol) of 4-(hydroxymethyl)benzoic acid in 1,000 ml of absolute ethanol are heated under reflux of the solvent for 15 hours in the presence of approximately 1 g of concentrated sulfuric acid. The ethyl alcohol is then evaporated off and the residue taken up with water. After extraction of the aqueous phase with 3×100 ml of ethyl ether, the organic phases are washed to neutrality with saturated sodium hydrogen carbonate solution. After removal of the solvent, 4.56 g of a yellow oil, which soon crystallizes, remains.

Provenance & Evidence