Toluene → 7-Oxo-5-octenoic acid methyl ester

Participants

Reaction Steps

Methyl formylbutyrate (13 g) and 1-triphenylphosphoranylidene-2-propanone (31.4 g) were refluxed together in toluene (200 ml) for 30 minutes. The toluene was then evaporated off and ether (200 ml) added to the residue to give a suspension which was stirred at room temperature for 5 minutes. The suspended triphenylphosphine oxide was filtered off and washed with a further 100 ml of ether. The combined ether solutions were evaporated to dryness to give a yellow oil which was distilled at 0.1 mm Hg using a Kugelrohr apparatus (air bath temperature 140° C.) to yield 7-oxo-5-octenoic acid methyl ester as a colourless oil.

Provenance & Evidence