Potassium Hydroxide → Ethyl alpha-(phenethyl)acrylate

Participants

Reaction Steps

26.6 g (0.1 mole) of diethyl phenethylmalonate were added dropwise in the course of an hour, with stirring, to 5.6 g of KOH in 65 ml of absolute ethanol, the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 15 hours and then boiled for 5 minutes. The ethanol was removed in vacuo, ice-water was added and the mixture was extracted with ether. The aqueous phase was acidified with 2N hydrochloric acid and extracted with ether. The second extract was dried and evaporated and then neutralized with 8.8 ml of diethylamine. 12 ml of 30% strength formaldehyde solution were added, the mixture was stirred for 3 hours, then saturated with potassium carbonate, extracted with ether, the extract was washed with dilute hydrochloric acid, dried and evaporated.

Provenance & Evidence