Lithium hydroxide, monohydrate → 4,4,4-Trifluoro-2-methylbutanoic acid

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Reaction Steps

A solution of ethyl 4,4,4-trifluoro-2-methylbutyrate (7.7 g) in methanol (21 mL), tetrahydrofuran (21 mL) and water (8.4 mL) was treated with lithium hydroxide monohydrate (3.5 g). The mixture was stirred for 48 hours and the organic solvents evaporated. The resulting aqueous solution was diluted with water and acidified with 6N hydrochloric acid. The aqueous solution was exhaustively extracted with ethyl acetate. The combined organic extract was washed (water and brine), dried (MgSO4), filtered and evaporated to give 4,4,4-trifluoro-2-methylbutyric acid as a pale yellow liquid (6.5 g, 99%); partial NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): 1.34 (d, 3H, CH3), 2.18 (m, 1H, H-C(3)), 2.67, (m, 1H, H-C(3)), 2.74 (m, 1H, H-C(2)), 10.6 (br, 1H, CO2H).

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