Water → Methyl 2-(4-t-butylphenyl)propanoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

23.3 mL of lithium bis(trimethylsilyl)amide (1.0 M, 23 mmols) was added dropwise to 4.75 g (23 mmol) of methyl 4-tert-butylphenylacetate in 100 mL of dry THF at −78° C. while stirring under nitrogen. The mixture was stirred at this temperature for 45 minutes, then 1.5 mL (24 mmol) methyl iodide was added dropwise and the solution was stirred for an additional 1 hour at −78° C. The mixture was poured into 200 mL of H2O and the desired product was extracted with 500 mL diethyl ether. The organic layer was backwashed once with 500 mL H2O, dried over K2CO3, and concentrated under reduced pressure to yield 5.12 g of a dark oil. The oil was purified via silica gel chromatography eluting with a solvent gradient of hexanes to hexanes/ethyl acetate 19:1. The fractions containing the desired product were combined and concentrated under reduced pressure to yield the title compound 2.65 g (53%).

Provenance & Evidence