Formaldehyde → (RS)-Methyl alpha-(Hydroxymethyl)-3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzeneacetate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A mixture of methyl 3,5-bis(trifluoromethyl)benzeneacetate (Description 1, 10.0 g, 35 mmol), paraformaldehyde (1.15 g, 38.5 mmol) and sodium hydrogen carbonate (84 mg, 1 mmol) in dimethylsulfoxide (10 mL) was heated at 45° C. for 1 hour, cooled and water (200 mL) was added. The mixture was extracted with ether (2×200 mL) and the combined organic fractions were washed with water (4×100 mL) and brine (100 mL), dried (MgSO4) and the solvent was evaporated under reduced pressure. The residue was purified by flash column chromatography on silica gel, eluting with isohexane/EtOAc (75:25) to give the title compound as a colorless oil (2.0 g, 10%). 1H NMR (400 MHz, CDCl3) δ 2.27 (1H, t, J 7.0 Hz), 3.76 (3H, s), 3.94–3.99 (2H, m), 4.01–4.15 (1H, m), 7.77 (2H, s) and 7.83 (1H, s).

Provenance & Evidence