Methanol → (2R,3R)-3-hydroxy-2-(4-phenylcyclohexylmethyl)butanoic acid

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A mixture of methyl (2R,3R)-3-hydroxy-2-(4-phenylcyclohexylmethyl)butanoate (4.17 g, 0.014 mol) and lithium hydroxide monohydrate (0.59 g, 0.014 mol) is stirred at 25° C. in a mixture of THF (30 mL), methanol (15 mL) and water (15 mL) for 72 h. The reaction is not complete and an additional 0.88 g (0.021 mol) of lithium hydroxide monohydrate in water (10 mL) is added. After 6 h an additional 0.59 g (0.014 mol) of solid lithium hydroxide monohydrate and the mixture is stirred at 25° C. for 18 h. The mixture is concentrated in vacuo and the residue is taken up in water, chilled in an ice-bath and the pH is adjusted to 2 with sodium bisulfate. The mixture is extracted with dichloromethane. The combined extracts were washed with saturated sodium chloride, dried over sodium sulfate and concentrated in vacuo to give 3.43 g (89%) of (2R,3R)-3-hydroxy-2-(4-phenylcyclohexylmethyl)butanoic acid as a yellow solid.

Provenance & Evidence