Hydrochloric Acid → Benzeneacetic acid, alpha-ethyl-, methyl ester

Participants

Reaction Steps

2-Phenylbutyric acid (10 g, 61 mmole) was dissolved in methanol (30 ml) treated with concentrated HCl (1 ml) and heated at reflux for 20 hours. The heating was stopped and the reaction mixture cooled to room temperature. The solvent was removed in vacuo and the oily residue was treated with ethyl acetate (100 ml). The organic layer was washed with saturated sodium bicarbonate solution and saturated sodium chloride solution, dried (Na2SO4), filtered and concentrated in vacuo to give the title compound as a clear oil. Yield 10.61 g (97%). 1H NMR (300 MHz, DMSO-d6): δ ppm 0.81 (t, J=7.35 Hz, 3 H) 1.69 m, 1 H) 1.98 (m, 1 H) 3.53 (d, J=7.35 Hz, 1 H) 3.58 (s, 3 H) 7.30 m, 5 H).

Provenance & Evidence