2-Aminophenol hydrochloride → 2-(3-Methyl-1-pyrrolyl)phenol

Participants

Reaction Steps

Diisobutylaluminum (100 mL of 1.0 M, 100 mmol) was added dropwise to a solution of dimethyl 2-methylbutanedioate (7.6 g, 48 mmol) in dichloromethane (15 mL) at −78° C., and the solution was stirred for 1 h. A suspension of 2-aminophenol HCl salt (6.6 g, 45 mmol) in water (110 mL) was added initially dropwise with vigorous stirring, then in small portions. About midway through the addition, the cooling bath was removed to help facilitate stirring. The mixture was stirred vigourously at room temperature overnight, then filtered over celite and the filter cake was washed several times with dichloromethane. The filtrate was separated, and the aqueous layer was extracted with dichloromethane (2×20 mL). The combined organics were washed with brine (50 mL), dried over MgSO4, concentrated and purified by column chromatography (0-40% EtOAc/hexane) to give 2-(3-methylpyrrol-1-yl)phenol (3.7 g, 48%) as a yellow oil. ESI-MS m/z calc. 173.2, found 174.3 (M+1)+; Retention time: 1.51 minutes (3 min run).

Provenance & Evidence