Hydrochloric Acid → 4-Propanoylanisole

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

525 ml of 1,2-dichloroethane and 209 g of aluminium chloride are added to a round flask which is fitted with a stirrer, thermometer, condenser and dropping funnel. The mixture is cooled to 0° C. and 127 g of propionic acid chloride are allowed to drop in at 0°-5° C. within 75 minutes. After the addition, the temperature is allowed to rise to 18° C. and then 141.6 g of anisole are added within 2 hours and at 20° C. The mixture is left to stand for 12 hours and then the product is poured into a mixture of 800 g of ice, 130 ml of water and 130 ml of concentrated hydrochloric acid. The aqueous phase is separated and extracted with two 250 ml portions of 1,2-dichloroethane. The combined organic phases are washed with three 200 ml portions of 2% sodium hydroxide and with 250 ml of water. The solvent is removed by evaporation under a vacuum and the residue (198 g) is distilled over a 25 cm column. There are obtained 143 g of p-methoxy-propiophenone (yield: 66.4% of theory). B.p.=90° C./0.4 mmHg; melting point 26° C.; nD20 =1.5451; d420 =0.9645.

Provenance & Evidence