Hydrochloric Acid → 2-(4-Methoxyphenyl)propan-1-ol

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Reaction Steps

Methyl 2-(4-methoxyphenyl)propionate (11.39g; 0.0586 mol) was dissolved in dry ether (25 ml) and slowly added to a stirred suspension of lithium aluminium hydride (4.59g; 0.121 mol) in dry ether (60 ml); the temperature was maintained below 25° C by cooling. Stirring at ambient temperature was continued for 1 hour. Water was cautiously added dropwise to decompose the unreacted lithium aluminium hydride and the inorganic salts were dissolved by the addition of dilute hydrochloric acid. The ether was separated and the aqueous phase re-extracted with ether (2 × 100 ml). The combined ether extracts were washed with water, saturated sodium bicarbonate solution, water, and then dried over magnesium sulphate. The product was isolated as a pale yellow oil (8.72g) following evaporation of the solvent.

Provenance & Evidence