Dimethyl Sulfide → 2-[(Methylsulfanyl)methyl]-4-nitroaniline

Participants

Reaction Steps

The starting material is prepared as follows: The solution of 23.4 g of t-butylhypochlorite in 20 ml of methylene chloride is added to that of 30.0 g of 4-nitroaniline and 27.0 g of dimethyl thioether in 650 ml of acetonitrile and 200 ml of methylene chloride while stirring at -40° under nitrogen. After 4 hours the temperature is raised to -20° and maintained there for three hours. After the addition of 30 g of sodium methoxide in 100 ml of methanol the mixture is refluxed for 15 hours, cooled, filtered and evaporated. The residue is dissolved in diethyl ether and filtered through a silica gel column to remove any unreacted 4-nitroaniline as its benzenesulfonate following addition of 17.4 g of benzenesulfonic acid. The filtrate is evaporated and the residue recrystallized from ethanol, to yield the 4 -nitro-2-methylmercaptomethylaniline melting at 72°-77°.

Provenance & Evidence