Hydrochloric Acid → (2S)-1-methyl-5-oxopyrrolidine-2-carboxylic acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

Methyl 1-methyl-5-oxo-prolinate (0.308 g, 1.96 mmol) was dissolved in methanol (˜10 ml) and to this was added a solution of sodium hydroxide (0.157 g, 3.92 mmol) in water (˜10 ml). The mixture was heated at reflux for 3 hrs, then cooled and evaporated to leave a minimal amount of water. This was acidified to pH 1 using 2M aqueous hydrogen chloride. The aqueous layer was washed with dichloromethane and then separated and evaporated to give 1-methyl-5-oxo-proline as a white solid (0.300 g).

Provenance & Evidence