Hydrochloric Acid → (S)-3-(4-(benzyloxy)phenyl)-2-hydroxypropanoic acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

A solution of (S)-2-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxy-phenyl)-propionic acid (3.00 g, 16.47 mmol) in ethanol (50 mL) was treated with benzyl chloride (4.20 g, 33.18 mmol) and potassium carbonate (4.60 g, 33.28 mmol) and the resulting mixture heated at reflux overnight. The mixture was cooled and treated with water (50 mL), and the resulting mixture stirred for 1 h. At this time ethyl acetate was added and the mixture acidified with 1N aqueous hydrochloric acid. The layers were separated and the aqueous phase extracted with ethyl acetate (3×). The organic phases were combined and concentrated in vacuo to an approximate volume of 10 mL. The resulting mixture was filtered and the isolated solid washed with diethyl ether and dried to afford (S)-3-(4-benzyloxy-phenyl)-2-hydroxy-propionic acid (3.00 g, 67%) as a white solid.

Provenance & Evidence