Sulfuric Acid → Methyl 3-fluoro-4-methylbenzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

Sulfuric acid (2 mL) was added to the solution of 3-fluoro-4-methylbenzoic acid (0.831 g, 5.23 mmol) in methanol (30 mL). The mixture was refluxed for 24 hours. After cooling, the solution was made alkaline by addition of an aqueous solution of sodium carbonate, concentrated under reduced pressure in order to remove methanol, and extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was dried over magnesium sulfate and was evaporated to give 0.641 g (73%) of methyl 3-fluoro-4-methylbenzoate as an oily residue which was directly used in the next step.

Provenance & Evidence