Hydrochloric Acid → Methyl 4-(cyanomethoxy)benzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a mixture of methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (30.0 g, 0.20 mol), sodium iodide (30.0 g, 0.20 mol) and potassium carbonate (27.6 g, 0.20 mol) in acetone (2000 mL) was added chloroacetonitrile (14.9 g, 0.20 mol). The mixture was stirred at RT for 3 days. Water was added and the mixture was acidified with 1N hydrochloric acid and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The combined organic layers were dried over Na2SO4 and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was dissolved in acetone and chloroacetonitrile (6.04 g, 0.08 mol), sodium iodide (12.0 g, 0.08 mol) and potassium carbonate (11.1 g, 0.08 mol) were added and the mixture was stirred for 16 hours at RT and at 60° C. More chloroacetonitrile was added until the conversion was 97%. Water was added and the mixture was acidified with 1N hydrochloric acid and the mixture was extracted with diethyl ether. The combined organic layers were dried over Na2SO4 and concentrated in vacuo to afford methyl 4-cyanomethyloxybenzoate in quantitative yield. This compound was used without further purification in the following step.

Provenance & Evidence