Benzyl Alcohol → Propanoic acid, 3-hydroxy-, phenylmethyl ester

Participants

Reaction Steps

β-Propiolactone (5 g, 25 mmol) was added slowly to a stirred solution of sodium methoxide (0.18 g, 3.5 mmol) in benzyl alcohol (45 g, 420 mmol) at 0° C. Stirring was continued for a further 2 hours at 0° C. Then the mixture was warmed to room temperature. After stirred for 7 hours, the reaction mixture was washed with water, dried and distilled to give the title compound. 1H NMR (300 MHz, CDCl3): δ 7.33 (m, 5H), 5.13 (s, 2H), 3.86 (t, J=5.6 Hz, 2H), 2.59 (m, 2H).

Provenance & Evidence