Butyryl chloride → Ethyl 3-oxohexanoate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

176 g of 2,2-dimethyl-4,6-dioxo-1,3-dioxane (Meldrum's acid) are dissolved in 550 ml of dichloromethane and 188 ml of pyridine. The mixture is cooled to 0° C. with a water/ice bath and 133 ml of butyryl chloride are added dropwise. When the addition is complete, the mixture is stirred for 3 hours at room temperature. The solution is washed with dilute hydrochloric acid solution, dried over magnesium sulphate and evaporated under vacuum to give an oil. This oil is dissolved in 700 ml of ethanol and the mixture is heated to reflux for 6 hours. The ethanol is evaporated off under vacuum and the residue obtained is distilled to give 145.4 g of ethyl 3-oxohexanoate in the form of a liquid of boiling point b.p.20 98°-100° C.

Provenance & Evidence