Methanol → 3-Benzofurancarboxylic acid, methyl ester

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A mixture of benzo[b]furan-3-yl trifluoromethanesulfonate (5.00 g, 18.8 mmol), triethylamine (5.2 ml, 37.3 mmol), palladium (II) acetate (0.130 g, 0.579 mmol), 1, 1'-bis(diphenylphosphino)ferrocene (0.628 g, 1.13 mmol), and methanol (17 ml) in dimethylformamide (40 ml) was purged with carbon monoxide for 20 minutes and stirred under a carbon monoxide balloon at 60° C. for 2.5 hours. The reaction mixture was allowed to cool, diluted with water (250 ml) and extracted with ethyl acetate (2×100 ml). The extracts were washed with 1M hydrochloric acid (100 ml) then saturated brine (100 ml), combined and dried (magnesium sulfate). The solvent was evaporated and the residue purified by flash chromatography, eluting with 5% ethyl acetate in petrol (60°-80°) then 10% ethyl acetate in petrol (60°-80°), to afford the title compound (2.65 g, 80%) as a pale yellow oil; δH (CDCl3) 3.94 (3H, s, CO2CH3), 7.34-7.39 (2H, m, ArH), 7.53 (1H, m, ArH), 8.07 (1H, m, ArH), 8.26 (1H, s, 2-H).

Provenance & Evidence