Pyridine → Ethyl 3-acetamido-2-oxopentanoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

9.2 g (63.4 mmol) 2-(acetylamino)butanoic acid are suspended in 120 ml tetrahydrofuran and heated to reflux together with 15.0 g (190 mmol) pyridine and a bit of N,N-dimethylaminopyridine. While heating at reflux, 17.3 g (127 mmol) ethyl chloro(oxo)acetate are added dropwise. The reaction mixture is heated at reflux until no more evolution of gas can be observed. After cooling down to room temperature, the reaction mixture is added to ice water and the organic phase extracted with ethyl acetate. The dried organic phase is evaporated to dryness in vacuo, dissolved in ethanol and the solution directly used for the next reaction.

Provenance & Evidence