Benzaldehyde → Ethyl 3-hydroxy-2-methyl-3-phenylpropanoate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

50 mmol (5.10 ml) of benzaldehyde are added at -78° C. to the manganous enolate of ethyl propionate, prepared as indicated above. After stirring for 10 seconds at -78° C., the reaction medium is hydrolyzed by the dropwise addition of a saturated solution of (NH4)2SO4. After decantation, filtration on hyflo-supercel and evaporation of the solvents under vacuum, ethyl 3-phenyl-3-hydroxy-2-methylpropionate is isolated by low pressure liquid chromatography on 15 μm silica gel using cyclohexane/ethyle acetate (90/10) as the eluent. Yield=72%. Erythro/threo=61/39.

Provenance & Evidence