(1,1'-Biphenyl)-3-carboxylic acid → 3-Biphenylmethanol

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Reaction Steps

To a suspension of 100 mg of lithium aluminum hydride in 20 mL of ether was added 500 mg 3-phenylbenzoic acid. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature overnight. After any excess lithium aluminum hydride was destroyed with water, the organic layer was washed successively with 25 mL aliquots of dilute hydrochloric acid, dilute sodium hydroxide and brine. The organic phase was dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate and the solvent removed by evaporation under reduced pressure to yield 360 mg of 3-hydroxymethylbiphenyl as a crystalline solid. This material was used in the next step without further purification.

Provenance & Evidence