Water → Ethanone, 1-(3,5-bis(phenylmethoxy)phenyl)-

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Reaction Steps

Over a period of 1.5 hours, methyl lithium (531 ml. of a 2 molar solution, 1.06 M) is added under a nitrogen atmosphere to a rapidly stirring solution of 3,5-dibenzyloxybenzoic acid (175 g., 0.532 M) in ether (250 ml.)tetrahydrofuran (1400 ml.) maintained at 15°-20° C. After stirring an additional 0.75 hour at 10°-15° C., water (600 ml.) is slowly added keeping the reaction temperature below 20° C. The aqueous layer is separated and extracted with ether (3×250 ml.). The organic phases are combined, washed with saturated sodium chloride solution (4×300 ml.), dried over sodium sulfate, and concentrated under vacuum to give an oil which slowly crystallized from isopropyl ether. The crude product is recrystallized from ether-hexane to yield 104.7 g. (59%) of product; m.p. 59°-61° C.

Provenance & Evidence