Water → Methyl 2-(5-fluoro-2-nitrophenoxy)acetate

Participants

Reaction Steps

To 10 g (63.7 mmol) of 5-fluoro-2-nitrophenol in 100 ml of methyl ethyl ketone was added 10.5 g (76.4 mmol) of finely ground potassium carbonate followed by 10.7 g (70.1 mmol) of methyl bromoacetate. The resulting suspension was refluxed for 6 hours and then stirred at room temperature overnight. During this time it went from a deep red color to pale yellow. The reaction was poured into one liter of water, the layers were separated and the aqueous layer was extracted twice more with EtOAc (2×100 ml). The organics were combined, dried (Na2SO4), filtered and evaporated to dryness in vacuo to give 13.3 g (91% yield) of methyl 5-fluoro-2-nitrophenoxyacetate as a light yellow solid (m.p. 85°-87° C.).

Provenance & Evidence