Triethylamine → ethyl 1-methyl-1H-imidazole-2-carboxylate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

Triethyl amine (50 mL) is added to a solution of methyl imidazol (16.3 g, 199 mmol) in acetonitrile (100 mL), then it is cooled to −30° C. A solution of ethyl chloroformate (31 mL, 328 mmol) in acetonitrile (50 mL) is added slowly keeping the temperature bellow 10° C. The reaction mixture is concentrated and diluted in water and extracted with chloroform, dried with MgSO4 anh, filtered and evaporated. Recrystallisation from ether yields 1-Methyl-1H-imidazole-2-carboxylic acid ethyl ester as an orange oil (15.5 g, 51%).

Provenance & Evidence