Hydrochloric Acid → Cyclopentanecarboxylic acid, 3-hydroxy-, methyl ester

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A solution of methyl 3-oxocyclopentanecarboxylate (9.58 g, 67.5 mmol) in THF (100 ml) was added to a slurry of sodium borohydride (3.8 g, 100 mmol) in THF (100 ml). The mixture was stirred at 23° C. for 2 h, cooled to 0° C. and acidified to pH 6 with 1M hydrochloric acid. The mixture was extracted with EtOAc (2×100 ml) and the organic extracts were washed with water and saturated sodium chloride (100 ml each). The extracts were dried and the solvent was evaporated in vacuo to give the title compound as a colorless liquid, 6.66 g (68% yield), (a mixture of two isomers); ir (liq.) νmax : 3450, 1725 cm-1 : 1Hmr (CDCl3) δ: 4.30 (m, 1H, H-3), 3.70-3.67 (2×s, 3H, OMe), 2.9 (m, 1H, H-1), 2.8 (s, 1H, OH) and 2.3-1.6 ppm (m, 6H, CH2).

Provenance & Evidence