2,3-Dihydroxybenzoic Acid → Methyl 2,3-Dihydroxybenzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

2,3-Dihydroxy-benzoic acid [A] (25 g, 0.16 mol) (Sigma-Aldrich, Cat no. 126209) was stirred in methanol (125 ml) with concentrated sulphuric acid (1 ml) and the reaction heated to gentle reflux over night. It was then concentrated and the residue partitioned between ethyl acetate and saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate. The organic layer was washed with further saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate, dried with magnesium sulphate, filtered and concentrated to afford 2,3-dihydroxy-benzoic acid methyl ester [B]. Yield 15.2 g, 57%.

Provenance & Evidence