tert-Butanol → 2-(4-chloro-2-fluorobenzyl)-3-oxopentanoic Acid Methyl Ester

Participants

Reaction Steps

A suspension of potassium tert-butoxide (1.6 g) in anhydrous tetrahydrofuran (75 mL) at 0° C. was treated with a mixture of tert-butanol (1.0 mL) and 3-oxopentanoic acid methyl ester (1.5 g). After stirring at 0° C. for 45 minutes a solution of 1-bromomethyl-4-chloro-2-fluorobenzene (2.6 g) in tetrahydrofuran (25 mL) was added and the resulting mixture stirred at room temperature for 17 hours. The mixture was diluted with water and the tetrahydrofuran removed under reduced pressure. The mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate and the combined extracts washed with saturated aqueous sodium chloride solution and then dried over magnesium sulfate. The solvent was removed under reduced pressure and the residue purified by column chromatography on silica gel, eluting with a mixture of ethyl acetate and cyclohexane (1:19 to 1:9 by volume) to afford title compound, 1.4 g.

Provenance & Evidence