Hydrochloric Acid → Ethyl 2-(4-cyano-3-methoxyphenyl)propanoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a suspension solution of NaH (0.18 g, 4.6 mmol, 60% dispersion in mineral oil) in THF (50 mL) at 0° C. under N2 atm was added a solution of ethyl (4-cyano-3-methoxyphenyl)acetate (1.0 g, 4.6 mmol) in THF (10 mL) drop-wise and the mixture was stirred for 30 min at the same temperature. The mixture was then allowed to warm to ambient temperature. The mixture was then allowed to cool back to 0° C. Methyl iodide (0.28 mL, 4.6 mmol) was added and the reaction mixture was stirred for 1 h. The reaction mixture was acidified with 1 M hydrochloric acid and extracted with EtOAc. The organic layer was washed with brine, dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography (hexane/EtOAc 15/1) to give ethyl 2-(4-cyano-3-methoxyphenyl)propanoate.

Provenance & Evidence