Diethyl Malonate → Diethyl 2-[(4-nitrophenyl)methyl]propanedioate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

21.4 g of lithium diisopropyl amide was added to 210 ml anhydrous tetrahydrofuran in a stream of nitrogen in a dry 3-necked flask with a drying tube and dropping funnel with pressure compensation. Next, 58.0 g of malonic acid diethyl ester in 100 ml anhydrous tetrahydrofuran was added dropwise at room temperature in 40 minutes. After 30 minutes the reaction solution was cooled to -62° C. and 39.1 g of 4-nitrobenzyl bromide in tetrahydrofuran was slowly added dropwise with vigorous agitation, followed by agitation for a further hour at -62° C., after which the precipitate was filtered cold. The filtrate was concentrated in a rotary evaporator, and the residue was dissolved in 300 ml ethanol at 65° C. and separated from the insoluble residue. 34.7 g of faintly yellowish crystals were obtained after cooling.

Provenance & Evidence