Hydrochloric Acid → 2-Trifluoroacetyl-1-tetralone

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Reaction Steps

A 250 mL one necked round bottomed flask equipped with a reflux condenser, nitrogen inlet and provisions for magnetic stirring was charged with ethyl trifluoroacetate (28.4 g, 0.2 mol) and 75 mL of ether. To this solution was added 48 mL of 25% sodium methoxide in methanol (0.21 mol). A solution of 1-tetralone (29.2 g, 0.2 mol) in 50 mL of ether was then added over about 5 min. The reaction mixture was then stirred at room temperature for 14 h and then was diluted wih 100 mL of 3N HCl. The phases were separated and the organic layer washed with 3N HCl, brine, dried over anhyd. MgSO4, filtered and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was then taken up in 70 mL of boiling ethanol/water and allowed to cool to room temperature whereupon crystals of 2-trifluoroacetyl-1-tetralone formed which were isolated by filtration and air dried to give 32 g, 81% of pure product with Tap 48°-49° C. 1H NMR CDCl3 δ2.8 (m, 2H), 2.9 (m, 2H), 7.2 (d, j=3.0 Hz, 1H), 7.36 (m, 1H), 7.50 (m, 1H), 7.98 (m, 1H); 19 F NMR CDCl3 δ-72.0. EI GC-MS M+=242.

Provenance & Evidence