Sulfuric Acid → p-n-Octadecyloxybenzoic acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture containing methyl 4-octadecyloxybenzoate (30 g) and acetic acid (10 ml) was warmed until a solution was obtained. To this solution was added concentrated sulfuric acid (3 ml), and the mixture heated to slowly distill off the methyl acetate. This distillation was carried out over a period of 40 minutes. The solution was then cooled just below the boiling point and stirred for an additional 30 minutes. The hot reaction mixture was poured onto cold water and the solid filtered and dried. The product was then slurried in methylene chloride (100 ml) then filtered. The solid was recrystallized from 2-butanone to give 4-octadecyloxybenzoic acid (24 g).

Provenance & Evidence