Toluene → Methyl 2-methoxy-2'-methylbiphenyl-4-carboxylate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A solution consisting of toluene (100 mL), ethanol (50 mL), and water (50 mL), was sparged with dry nitrogen gas for 45 minutes. To the solvent mixture was added 4-bromo-3-methoxybenzoic acid methyl ester of Step B (26.5 mmol), o-tolylboronic acid (29.1 mmol), and sodium carbonate (112.5 mmol). The mixture was sparged with nitrogen gas for an additional ten minutes. Tetrakis(triphenylphosphine)palladium(0) (1 mmol) was added to the mixture which was then heated at 105° C. for 6 hours. The mixture was cooled and the phases separated. The organic phase was washed three times with a sequence of saturated aqueous sodium carbonate, and brine. The organics were dried over anhydrous sodium sulfate, and evaporated to an oil. Chromatography on silica gel using dichloromethane and hexane (3:1) provided the title compound as a clear oil (6.7g, 99%).

Provenance & Evidence