Hydrochloric Acid → Methyl 4-(phenoxymethyl)benzoic acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of methyl 2-methyl-4-(phenoxymethyl)benzoate (66 mg, 0.26 mmol), lithium hydroxide (54 mg, 1.29 mmol), tetrahydrofuran (6 mL), methanol (2 mL), and water (2 mL) were stirred at room temperature for 12 hours. The mixture was neutralized to pH to 1 with concentrated hydrochloric acid and then extracted with ethyl acetate (20 mL×3). The combined organic phase was separated, dried over sodium sulfate, and then filtered. The filtrate was concentrated in vacuo to give 2-methyl-4-(phenoxymethyl)benzoic acid used in next step without further purification (42 mg, 67%). LRMS (M+H)− m/z: calcd 242.09. found 242.

Provenance & Evidence