Benzyl Bromide → Benzyl 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropanoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropanoic acid (500 mg, 4.80 mmol) in dry THF (10 ml), NaH (60% dispersion in mineral oil, 192 mg, 4.80 mmol) was added portionwise at 5° C. The resulting mixture was stirred 1 hour at RT. The solvent was removed, the residue was suspended in dry DMF (7 ml), and (bromomethyl)benzene (821 mg, 4.80 mmol) was added followed by a catalytic amount of KI. The reaction was heated under microwave irradiation at 100° C. for 3 hours. After cooling, the solvent was evaporated and the residue was partitioned between water and EtOAc; the organic phase was washed with brine, dried over sodium sulfate and evaporated to dryness. The residue was purified by flash chromatography on silica gel (EtOAc/petroleum ether=1/1) affording benzyl 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropanoate as a yellow liquid (773 mg, 3.98 mmol, 83% yield).

Provenance & Evidence