1,3-Difluoro-2-nitrobenzene → Methyl 4-fluoro-2-(3-fluoro-2-nitrophenoxy)benzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a solution of methyl 4-fluoro-2-hydroxybenzoate (3.0 g) in tetrahydrofuran (65 ml) was added potassium t-butoxide (1.979 g) portionwise. The resulting solution was stirred at ambient temperature for 30 minutes and a solution of 1,3-difluoro-2-nitrobenzene (2.338 g) in tetrahydrofuran (15 ml) was added dropwise. After 1 hour the reaction was heated at reflux for 18 hours. The reaction was quenched with water (10 ml), diluted with brine (75 ml) and extracted with twice methylene chloride (75 ml). The crude product was isolated by concentration and purified on silica gel, and eluted with a 10, 20, 50% ethyl acetate in hexane step gradient.

Provenance & Evidence