Methyl methoxyacetate → 1,1-Bis(3-fluorophenyl)-2-methoxyethanol

Participants

Reaction Steps

A solution of 1,1-bis(3-fluorophenyl)-2-methoxyethanol (156.7 g) (obtained by the reaction of 3-fluorophenylmagnesium bromide with methyl 2-methoxyacetate in THF) in formic acid (160 cc) is heated to reflux for 16 hours, cooled and poured into a mixture of saturated sodium carbonate solution (800 cc) and ethyl acetate (500 cc). The organic phase is washed with water (2×500 cc) and with saturated sodium chloride solution (500 cc), then dried and concentrated to dryness under reduced pressure (2.7 kPa) to give bis(3-fluorophenyl)acetaldehyde (144.5 g) in the form of a yellow oil.

Provenance & Evidence