Benzoic Acid → Methyl 3-Hydroxybenzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

m-Hydroxybenzoic acid (10 g, 72.5 mmol) was dissolved in 100 mL of methanol and the solution refluxed with a catalytic amount of HCl. After 24 hours tlc analysis on silica with 10% ethyl acetate/hexane revealed a trace of the starting benzoic acid remaining. The solution was cooled and concentrated to dryness. The solid residue was dissolved in 200 mL of ether and washed with 100 mL of saturated aq. NaHCO3 and brine. Drying the solution over MgSO4 and evaporating the solvent left a slightly yellow solid that was purified by recrystallization from benzene/cyclohexane to give methyl 3-hydroxybenzoate as a white solid (6.74 g, 61%): 71°-73° C. ##STR39##

Provenance & Evidence