4-Hydroxybenzoic Acid → Benzophenone, 4,4'-bisacetyloxy-

Participants

Reaction Steps

45.5 g (0.52 mole) of phenol, 69.0 g (0.50 mole) of 4-hydroxybenzoic acid, and 500 mL of hydrogen fluoride were heated together for 6 hr under autogenous pressure in an autoclave. Then the contents were mixed in excess water to precipitate a pink solid. Yield was 99 g (92.5%). The crude product was acetylated directly, without purification, by refluxing 2 hr in 3 times its volume of acetic anhydride and about 8 drops of sulfuric acid. Precipitation in excess water yielded 113 g of 4,4'-diacetoxybenzophenone of such high purity that no recrystallization was required (melting point 150-152° C. ).

Provenance & Evidence