Boron trifluoride etherate → Methyl 3-methoxy-4-nitrobenzoate

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Reaction Steps

Boron trifluoride diethyl etherate (2 mL, 16.3 mmol) was added to a suspension of 3-methoxy-4-nitrobenzoic acid (1.0 g, 5.07 mmol) in anhydrous methanol (15 mL) and the resulting mixture was heated at reflux for 24 hours. The solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure and the residue was partitioned between water and dichloromethane; the aqueous layer was extracted 3 times with dichloromethane. The combined organic extracts were dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, filtered and evaporated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified over a silica gel plug (EtOAc/hexane from 40/60 to 50/50) to give 1.09 g of 3-methoxy-4-nitro-benzoic acid methyl ester as a pale yellow solid.

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