Acetic acid, 2-(triphenylphosphoranylidene)-, ethyl ester → Benzyl 3-(ethoxycarbonyl)-2-(2-methylpropyl)propenoate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

Ethoxycarbonylmethylenetriphenylphosphorane (53.8 g., 0.155 mol.) was dissolved in dry dichloromethane (400 mls.) and the resulting solution was cooled to 0° C. To the cooled solution was added a solution of benzyl 4-methyl-2-oxopentanoate (34.0 g., 0.155 mol.) in dry dichloromethane (100 mls.) over a period of 25 minutes and the reaction mixture was then heated under reflux for 1 hour. The solvent was removed from the reaction mixture by evaporation in vacuo to yield an off-white solid. The solid was extracted with hexane (3×200 mls.) and the solvent was removed from the combined hexane extracts to yield a crude product as a yellow oil. The crude product was purified by distillation (0.6 mm Hg), to yield E and Z benzyl 3-(ethoxycarbonyl)-2-(2-methylpropyl)propenoate (41.0 g.) being collected at 137°-142° C.

Provenance & Evidence