Hydrochloric Acid → Chloromethyl-3,5-dimethylphenyl chloroformate

Participants

Reaction Steps

Into a stirred mixture of 37 parts of 3,5-xylenyl chloroformate, 78 parts of paraformaldehyde, 10 parts of powdered anhydrous zinc chloride, and 150 parts of chloroform at 20-30 degrees, was passed hydrogen chloride gas over 101/2 hours. The paraformaldehyde slowly dissolved. Then the reaction mixture was agitated briefly with ice water, after which the organic layer was decanted, dried over magnesium sulfate, filtered, and solvent was evaporated off. The residual liquid was distilled to obtain 17 parts of chloromethyl-3,5-dimethylphenyl chloroformate, boiling point 80° - 85° (0.005 millimeter), in which the position of the chloromethyl group is indicated to be mostly para by NMR analysis.

Provenance & Evidence