Sulfuric Acid → Ethyl 2-fluoro-4-nitrobenzoate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a mixture of 2-fluoro-4-nitrotoluene (1.0 g, 6.4 mmol, Aldrich) and Na2Cr2O7 (2.74 g, 8.4 mmol) in 13.7 ml of HOAC was added slowly 6.83 ml of H2SO4. This mixture was slowly heated to 90° C. for 1 h to give a greenish heterogeneous solution. The mixture was cooled to room temperature and diluted with ethyl acetate. The PH of the solution was adjusted to 4 with NaOH (aq.). The mixture was extracted with more ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with NaHCO3 (sat.), then brine and dried over Na2SO4. After filtration, the solution was concentrated to dryness which then was dissolved in 6 ml of SOCl2, and heated at 80° C. for 1 h. The excess of SOCl2 was removed under reduced pressure and the residue was dissolved in 5 ml of CH2Cl2, 2 ml of EtOH and 2 ml of pyridine. The mixture was stirred at room temperature for 2 h and concentrated to dryness. Ethyl 2-fluoro-4-nitrobenzoate was obtained as a white solid after column chromatography of the residue with ethyl acetate/hexane (1/9). This solid was then dissolved in 10 ml of ethyl acetate, and Pd/C (50 mg) was added. Hydrogenation with a hydrogen balloon converted ethyl 2-fluoro-4-nitrobenzoate into the title compound.

Provenance & Evidence