Sodium Methoxide → (4-Methoxy-pyridin-2-yl)-methanol

Participants

Reaction Steps

Starting with 2-methyl-4-methoxypyridine-1-oxide (2.1 g) in the procedure of Part (ii) afforded 2.5 g of 2-acetoxymethyl-4-methoxypyridine which was contaminated with about 25% of 5-acetoxy-2-methyl-4-methoxypyridine. This mixture was dissolved in methanol (10 ml) containing 1.118 g (20.7 mmole) sodium methoxide and stirred at reflux for one hour. The methanol was evaporated in vacuo, the residue diluted with water, neutralized with dilute hydrochloric acid and extracted with chloroform. The organic layer was washed with brine, dried (MgSO4) and concentrated in vacuo to give 853 mg (41%) 2-hydroxymethyl-4-methoxypyridine. 1H-NMR(CDCl3)ppm (delta): 3.9 (s, 3H), 4.72 (s, 2H), 5.35 (bs, 1H), 6.7 (dd, 1H), 6.95 (d, 1H), 8.3 (d, 1H).

Provenance & Evidence