Benzyl Alcohol → Benzyl (2S)-hydroxy(phenyl)acetate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

L-Mandelic acid (10 g.), 6.91 g. of benzyl alcohol, and 75 mg. of p-toluenesulfonic acid in 70 ml. of benzene was refluxed under a Dean-Stark trap for a total of 28 hours on 4 consecutive days. The crude benzyl ester was obtained by successively concentrating the liquor and cooling it to about 10° C. a number of times. The fractions melting between 97° C. and 105° C. were combined, dissolved in CHCl3 and washed twice with 15 ml. portions of 5% aqueous NaHCO3 solution. After evaporation of the CHCl3, the product was recrystallized from benzene to give benzyl L-mandelate, m.p. 104°-106° C., yield 42%.

Provenance & Evidence