Ethyl Acetate → Ethyl 2-[(2'-cyano-3-methoxybiphenyl-4-yl)methyl]-3-oxohexanoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of methyl 2′-cyano-3-methoxybiphenyl-4-carboxylate (1.86 g) in tetrahydrofuran (40 mL) was added lithium borohydride (0.67 g) at 0° C., and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 12 hr. To the reaction mixture were added ethyl acetate and saturated aqueous ammonium chloride solution, and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with water and saturated brine, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, and concentrated. The residue was dissolved in toluene (30 mL), phosphorus tribromide (0.33 mL) was added, and the mixture was stirred for 3 hr. Ethyl acetate and water were added to the reaction mixture, and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with water and saturated brine, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, and concentrated. This was dissolved in tetrahydrofuran (10 mL), the mixture was added dropwise to a solution of ethyl 3-oxohexanoate (1.7 g) and 60% sodium hydride (0.28 g) in tetrahydrofuran (15 mL) at 0° C., and the mixture was stirred at room temperature for 15 hr. To the reaction mixture were added ethyl acetate and saturated aqueous ammonium chloride solution, and the mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate. The organic layer was washed with water and saturated brine, dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, and concentrated. The residue was purified by silica gel column chromatography to give the title compound as a pale-yellow amorphous solid (1.8 g, 89%).

Provenance & Evidence