Acrylic Acid → 4-Methoxy cinnamic acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

18.7 g (0.1 mole) p-bromoanisole, 500 mg Pd on carbon (5%), 40 ml N-methylpyrrolidone, 7.57 g (0.105 mole) acrylic acid and 13.57 g (0.105 mole) dibutylamine are stirred under nitrogen at 80° for 1 hour and then at 180° for 4 hours. The catalyst is removed by filtration at 100°. To the filtrate are added 200 ml of 2N sodium hydroxide and the solution is then washed twice with ether. Acidification to pH 1 with 2N hydrochloric acid, followed by filtration furnishes 10 g of p-methoxycinnamic acid (56% yield), top: 167°; no depression with an authentic sample is observed, the NMR data are as in example 8.

Provenance & Evidence