Carbon Dioxide → 4-Chloro-2-(trifluoromethyl)benzoic acid

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A solution of 4-chloro-2-trifluoromethyliodobenzene (100 g) in ether was added to a suspension of magnesium (8 g) in ether at a such a rate as to maintain the mixture at reflux. The mixture was stirred at reflux for 1 hour and then cooled to 0° C. Carbon dioxide was then passed into the stirred mixture for 3 hours. Hydrochloric acid (2M) was added and the resulting layers separated. The organic layer was washed with water and then extracted into aqueous sodium carbonate solution and this aqueous extract was acidified to pH 1 and extracted with ether. The ether layer was washed with saturated sodium chloride solution, dried (anhydrous magnesium sulphate) and the solvent evaporated to give 4-chloro-2-trifluoromethylbenzoic acid (57.1 g) as a brown solid, m.p. 106.5°-108° C.

Provenance & Evidence