Benzocaine → Ethyl 4-[[4-(dimethylamino)phenyl]methylamino]benzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of ethyl 4-aminobenzoate (10 g) and 4-(dimethylamino)benzaldehyde (9.0 g) in methylene chloride (200 mL) is added sodium triacetoxyborohydride (18.9 g) and acetic acid (3.47 mL) under ice-cooling, and the mixture is stirred at room temperature for 2 days. To the reaction mixture is added a saturated sodium hydrogencarbonate solution and extracted with chloroform (×2). The extract is concentrated in vacuo and the residue is triturated in n-hexane/ethyl acetate to give ethyl 4-[4-(dimethylamino)benzylamino]benzoate (11.6 g, yield; 64%) as powder. MS (APCI) m/z; 299 [M+H]+

Provenance & Evidence