Diethyl Oxalate → ethyl acetoacetate, sodium salt

Participants

Reaction Steps

Diethyl oxalate (10 g; 68 mmol) was dissolved in Et2O (100 ml) and cooled to −78 C. Ethyl magnesium bromide (1.0 M in THF; 72 ml; 71.8 mmol; 1.05 equiv.) was added slowly via syringe. The dry ice/acetone bath was allowed to melt and warm to 10 C. Monitored the reaction by 1H NMR. The reaction was cooled to 0 C and quenched with saturated NH4Cl. Dilute with H2O and separate phases. The organic layer was dried over Na2SO4, filtered and concentrated. Isolation gave 7.6 g of a crude yellow oil in 86% yield. No further purification.

Provenance & Evidence