Methylparaben → Methyl 4-{[2-(dimethylamino)-2-oxoethyl]oxy}benzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

Methyl 4-hydroxybenzoate (Fluka) (1.52 g, 10 mmol) and potassium carbonate (1.38 g, 10 mmol) in DMF (10 mL) was treated with 2-chloro-N,N-dimethylacetamide (Merck) (1.03 ml, 10 mmol) and the mixture was stirred at RT overnight. The reaction mixture was worked up by partitioning between ethyl acetate and 2M hydrochloric acid, washing with HCl, brine, dried (MgSO4) and evaporating to dryness. The residue was dissolved in DMF (5 mL) and treated with potassium carbonate (1.38 g, 10 mmol) and 2-chloro-N,N-dimethylacetamide (Merck) (1.03 ml, 10 mmol). The mixture was stirred at RT over the weekend, and then worked up. Partitioned between ethyl acetate and 2M HCl and the organic solution was washed with HCl (×2), brine (×3), dried (MgSO4), and evaporated to give the title compound (1.62 g, 68%) as a white solid. LCMS (System A) RT=0.73 min, ES+ve m/z 238 (M+H)+.

Provenance & Evidence