Acetic Acid → Methyl 3-hydroxy-5-methoxy-1-phenyl-1H-indole-2-carboxylate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 1.7 kg (5.2 mole) of 5-methoxy-2-[(2-methoxy-2-oxoethyl)phenylamino]benzoic acid methyl ester, and 303 g (5.6 mole) of sodium methoxide in 10.0 l of anhydrous methanol was stirred at reflux for 90 minutes. The mixture was cooled to 20° C., filtered, and treated with 336 g (320 ml, 5.6 mole) of glacial acetic acid. The mixture was cooled in ice, and the precipitated crude product was filtered and washed with cold methanol followed by hexane. There was obtained 1267 g (82% yield) of the indole product of analytical purity, mp 114°-116° C.

Provenance & Evidence