Hydrochloric Acid → (5-Chloro-2-iodophenyl)methanol

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Reaction Steps

A solution of 120 g of 5-chloro-2- iodobenzoic acid (K. Pelz et al., Collect.Czech.Chem.Commun. 33, 1852, 1968) in 145 ml of tetrahydrofuran is stirred and treated at 10°-20° C. for 45 minutes with 16.1 g of sodium borohydride. The mixture is then stirred for 30 minutes at this temperature and treated with a solution of 80.3 g (71.4 ml) of boron trifluoride etherate in 40 ml of tetrahydrofuran. It is stirred for another 3 hours and while cooling with ice-cold water it is decomposed at a maximum temperature of 8° C. with 50 ml of 5% hydrochloric acid added dropwise. It is diluted with water and extracted with benzene. The extract is washed with a 5% sodium hydroxide solution and water, dried with magnesium sulfate and evaporated. There are obtained 100 g (96%) of crude 5-chloro-2-iodobenzyl alcohol with m.p. of 115°-117° C. The analytically pure substance is obtained by crystallization from ethanol; m.p. 116°-117° C.

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