Hydrochloric Acid → Benzenepropanoic acid, 4-methoxy-beta-oxo-, ethyl ester

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a solution of 4-methoxyacetophenone (100 g, 0.66 mol) in dry dimethylformamide (400 mL), 60% sodium hydride (34.3 g, 0.85 mol) was added slowly at 10° C. under a nitrogen atmosphere. This mixture was stirred at 25° C. for 30 minutes and again cooled to 10° C. This was added to solution of diethyl carbonate (94.5 g, 0.80 mol) and dissolved in minimum quantity of dry dimethylformamide at the same temperature. The mixture was then stirred at 25° C. for 5 to 6 hours and poured into ice cold water (100 mL) with vigorous stirring. The mixture was then acidified (pH˜6-7) using cold 2 N hydrochloric acid and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layers were collected, combined, washed with water, dried over anhydrous sodium sulphate, filtered and concentrated under vacuum to afford the desired compound as yellow oil (133 g). Yield: 90%.

Provenance & Evidence