Methyl o-toluate → Methyl 2-(bromomethyl)benzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of 2-methyl-benzoic acid methyl ester (4.58 g, 30.5 mmol) in CCl4 (75 mL) was added N-bromosuccinimide (5.79 g, 32.5 mmol) followed by 1,1′-azobis(cyclohexanecarbonitrile) (1.42 g, 5.80 mmol). The resultant mixture was refluxed for 6 hours then cooled to room temperature, filtered through filter paper, and concentrated. Purification of the crude material by column chromatography on silica gel (20:1 :hexanes-EtOAc) provided 5.44 g (78%) of 2-bromomethyl-benzoic acid methyl ester as a colorles oil. 1H NMR (CDCl3) δ 3.95 (s, 3H), 4.96 (s, 2H), 7.36-7.50 (m, 3H), 7.97 (d, 1H, J=7.8 Hz).

Provenance & Evidence