Hydrochloric Acid → Methyl 4-(phenoxymethyl)benzoic acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of methyl 4-(phenoxymethyl)benzoate (1.1 g, 4.55 mmol), lithium hydroxide monohydrate (955 mg, 22.8 mmol), tetrahydrofuran (20 mL), methanol (7 mL) and water (7 mL) were stirred at room temperature for 5 hours. The mixture was neutralized to pH to 1 with concentrated hydrochloric acid and then extracted with ethyl acetate (15 mL×3). The combined organic phase was separated, dried over sodium sulfate, and then filtered. The filtrate was concentrated in vacuo to give methyl 4-(phenoxymethyl)benzoic acid as a white solid (840 mg, 81%). LRMS (M+H)− m/z: calcd 228.08. found 228.

Provenance & Evidence