Methanol → Methyl 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a 1-L round bottomed flash equipped with a nitrogen inlet and magnetic stir bar was added 50 g (0.27 mol) of 6-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid and 400 mL of methanol. The suspension was treated slowly with 1 mL of con. H2SO4 and stirred at room temperature overnight. The resulting solution was evaporated, taken up in 500 mL of ethyl acetate and washed sequentially with 3×300 mL of saturated NaHCO3, 2×300 in mL of water and brine. The pale yellow solution was dried over MgSO4, reduced in volume to about 100 mL and slowly treated with hexane. The resulting crystalline precipitate was collected and dried under a stream of nitrogen to yield 52 g (95%) of the title compound as fine, white plates, mp 196° C.

Provenance & Evidence