Hydrochloric Acid → (3-ForMyl-phenyl)-acetic acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of 2-(m-tolyl)acetic acid in chloroform (30 mL) was added N-bromosuccinimide (2.37 g, 13.32 mmol). The mixture was heated to reflux for 8 hours and the solvent was removed in vacuo. The residue was dissolved in ethanol (30 mL) and water (30 mL) and hexamethylenetetramine (5 g, 35.7 mmol) was added. The mixture was heated to reflux for 4 hours. Concentrated HCl (5.9 mL) was added cautiously to the mixture at reflux. The mixture was heated to reflux for 30 minutes and then allowed to cool. Water (30 mL) and DCM (30 mL) were added and the organic phase was passed through a hydrophobic frit and the solvent was removed in vacuo. The residue was taken up into saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution, and washed with DCM (2×15 mL). The aqueous phase was acidified with 2M aqueous HCl. The mixture was extracted with DCM (2×15 mL) and the combined organic fractions were passed through a hydrophobic frit. The solvent was removed in vacuo to afford a mixture of the title compound as an off-white solid (1.35 g, 62%). 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3): δ 10.01 (s, 1H), 7.84-7.79 (m, 2H), 7.60-7.48 (m, 2H), 3.75 (s, 2H). LCMS (Method 1): [MH+]=165 at 2.77 min.

Provenance & Evidence