2-Fluoro-3-methoxybenzoic acid → 2-Fluoro-3-methoxybenzyl alcohol

Participants

Reaction Steps

2-Fluoro-3-methoxybenzoic acid from Step 1 (16.65 g, 98 mmol) was dissolved in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran (60 mL), cooled in an ice bath, and treated with borane dimethyl sulfide complex (19 mL, 190 mmol). The reaction was stirred at room temperature for 4.2 hours, quenched by the slow addition of methanol, and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was dissolved in ethyl acetate, treated with 3N hydrochloric acid and filtered through diatomaceous earth. The organic layer of the filtrate was collected, washed with NaHCO3, brine, dried over MgSO4 and reconcentrated in vacuo to give 2-fluoro-3-methoxybenzyl alcohol (12.35 g, 81%) as a white solid: mp 53°-57° C.; 1H NMR (acetone-d6) 300 MHz 7.07 (m, 3H) 4.67 (d, J=5.8 Hz, 2H) 4.24 (t, J=5.8 Hz, 1H) 3.86 (s, 3H); 19F NMR (acetone-d6) 300 MHz -144.77(m).

Provenance & Evidence