Benzoic Acid → Diphenylamine

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

In Scheme 1, Step A, a 2-(arylamino)-benzoic acid or diphenylamine (3) is prepared from the coupling of a suitable benzoic acid (1) and a suitable aniline (2) in the presence of a strong base, for example, lithium 1,1,1,3,3,3-hexamethyldisilazane (LiHMDS), in a polar aprotic solvent such as tetrahydrofuran, acetonitrile or dimethylformamide. For example, the aniline (2) and the benzoic acid (1) are dissolved in a suitable organic solvent and cooled to about −78° C. under nitrogen. The suspension is treated with an excess of a suitable base, such as LiHMDS, and allowed to warm to room temperature. The reaction is typically complete within about 2 hours to about 5 days. The resulting benzoic acid (3) can be isolated by removing the solvent, for example by evaporation under reduced pressure or by filtering the precipitated solid through Celite® and washing with a suitable solvent. The benzoic acid (3) can be further purified, if desired, by standard methods such as chromatography, crystallization, or distillation.

Provenance & Evidence