Hydrochloric Acid → Ethyl alpha-(hydroxymethylene)-4-methoxyphenylacetate

Participants

Reaction Steps

8.9 ml of ethyl p-methoxyphenylacetate are dissolved in 80 ml of ethyl formate. 4.6 g of 50% NaH are added portionwise and then the mixture is stirred at ambient temperature for 12 hours. It is poured onto a 1N HCl solution and then extraction is carried out with AcOEt. Purification is carried out by chromatography on a silica column eluted with an AcOEt/heptane (05/95; v/v) mixture to produce 4.0 g of the expected compound in the liquid form.

Provenance & Evidence