Formaldehyde → 1-(4-Methoxybenzyl)-4-hydroxyethyl-3-nitro-2-pyridone

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a stirred mixture of 1-(4-methoxybenzyl)-4-methyl-3-nitro-2-pyridone (1.38 g, 5.0 mmol) and paraformaldehyde (0.152 g) in dimethylsulfoxide (8 mL) was added sodium methoxide (0.018 g). After 2 hours, the mixture was diluted with ethyl acetate and washed with water. The aqueous phase was extracted with ethyl acetate, and the combined organic phase was dried, filtered and evaporated. The residual solid was triturated with chloroform/ethyl acetate (10 mL, 1/1) and 1-(4-methoxybenzyl)-4-hydroxyethyl-3′-nitro-2-pyridone was collected by filtration (0.496 g). Fractionation of the supernatant over silica gel (chloroform/ethyl acetate to ethyl acetate/methanol 99/1) gave additional product (0.404 g) (total yield, 2.96 mmol, 59%).

Provenance & Evidence