Sodium borohydride → 3-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-azetidine-1-carboxylic acid tert-butyl ester

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Reaction Steps

A solution of 3-[(4-Chloro-phenyl)-iodo-methyl]-azetidine-1-carboxylic acid tert-butyl ester (58 g, 140 mmol) in dimethylsulphoxide (450 ml) is treated with sodium borohydride with cooling. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 20 hours, then quenched by the slow addition of water (1000 ml). The aqueous mixture is extracted into ethylacetate, and the ethylacetate phase washed with saturated brine, dried over magnesium sulphate and evaporated. The crude product is purified by flash chromatography using a biotage 75 column (eluant gradient isohexane:ethylacetate 9:1 to 85:15) to afford 3-(4-Chloro-benzyl)-azetidine-1-carboxylic acid tert-butyl ester. 1H NMR 400 MHz, CDCl3, δ 1.35 (9H), 2.70 (1H), 2.80 (2H), 3.55 (2H), 3.90 (2H), 6.97 (2H), 7.17 (2H).

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