Methanol → Methyl 2-Bromo-4-chlorobenzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To a 500 ml 2 necked RB flask containing anhydrous methanol (300 ml) was added thionyl chloride (29.2 ml, 400 mmol) dropwise at 0-5° C. (ice water bath) over 10 min. The ice water bath was removed, and 2-bromo-4-chloro-benzoic acid (25 g, 106 mmol) was added. The mixture was heated to mild reflux for 12 h. Progress of the reaction was monitored by TLC and LCMS. After completion of the reaction, the reaction mixture was concentrated. Crude product was dissolved in dichloromethane (DCM, 250 ml), washed with water (50 ml), sat. aq. NaHCO3 (50 ml), brine (50 ml), dried over sodium sulfate, and concentrated to give the 2-bromo-4-chloro-benzoic acid methyl ester (26 g, 99%), which was directly used in the following step.

Provenance & Evidence