Nitric Acid → Methyl 4-acetamidomethyl-3-nitrobenzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a mixture (mixed acid) of fuming nitric acid (70 ml) and conc. sulfuric acid (70 ml) was added methyl 4-acetamidomethylbenzoate (54 g) at 7-15° C. for 1.5 hr. This reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 1 hr and poured into ice water (600 ml). The mixture was extracted with chloroform (300 ml×3). The extract was washed with water, saturated sodium hydrogencarbonate solution and saturated brine, and dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate. The solvent was evaporated to give a yellow oil (75 g). The obtained yellow oil was crystallized from ethyl acetate (50 ml) and recrystallized from hexane/ethyl acetate (1:1, 600 ml) to give the title compound (45.5 g) as pale-yellow crystals.

Provenance & Evidence