Hydrochloric Acid → 3-(Cyanomethyl)-5-[(dipropylamino)carbonyl]benzoic acid

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Reaction Steps

A mixture of ethyl 3-[(dipropylamino)carbonyl]-5-(hydroxymethyl)benzoate (1.5 g) and phosphorous tribromide (0.95 mL) is stirred in dichloromethane (10 mL) and heated at 50 degrees C. for 4 hours and then cooled and partitioned between dichloromethane and water. The organic phase is separated and washed with aqueous sodium bicarbonate and then dried over magnesium sulfate and taken to dryness to give ethyl 3-(bromomethyl)-5-[(dipropylamino)carbonyl]benzoate, high resolution MS MH+=370.1020. Ethyl 3-(bromomethyl)-5-[(dipropylamino)carbonyl]benzoate (1.4 g) and sodium cyanide (0.2 g) are stirred in dry DMSO (25 mL) at 20-25 degrees C. for 3.5 hours and the mixture is then partitioned between ethyl acetate, water and saline. The organic layer is separated and dried over magnesium sulfate and taken to dryness under reduced pressure to give ethyl 3-(cyanomethyl)-5-[(dipropylamino)carbonyl]benzoate. Ethyl 3-(cyanomethyl)-5-[(dipropylamino)carbonyl]benzoate (0.6 g) is hydrolyzed with lithium hydroxide monohydrate (0.1 g) in ethanol and water at 20-25 degrees C. overnight and then added to water (50 mL). The pH is adjusted to 4 using concentrated hydrochloric acid and the mixture is partitioned between ethyl acetate, water, and saline. The organic phase is separated and dried over magnesium sulfate and taken to dryness under reduced pressure to give 3-(cyanomethyl)-5-[(dipropylamino)carbonyl]benzoic acid, MS M+H=287.2.

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