Sulfuric Acid → Methyl Gentisate

Participants

Reaction Steps

2,5-Dihydroxybenzoic acid, 30 grams (0.195 moles), was heated to reflux with 10 ml conc'd. sulphuric acid in 500 ml methanol for 72 hours. Then it was neutralized with solid sodium bicarbonate and striped in vacuo. The product was extracted with ethyl acetate and the organic extract was dried and stripped in vacuo to give 29.8 grams of methyl 2,5-dihydroxybenzoate of >90% purity.

Provenance & Evidence