p-METHYLACETOPHENONE → 4,4,4-Trifluoro-1-(4-methylphenyl)butane-1,3-dione

Participants

Reaction Steps

4′-Methylacetophenone (5.26 g, 39.2 mmol) was dissolved in 25 mL of methanol under argon and 12 mL (52.5 mmol) sodium methoxide in methanol (25%) was added. The mixture was stirred for 5 minutes and 5.5 mL (46.2 mmol) ethyl trifluoroacetate was added. After refluxing for 24 hours, the mixture was cooled to room temperature and concentrated. 100 mL 10% HCl was added and the mixture extracted with 4×75 mL ethyl acetate. The extracts were dried over MgSO4, filtered and concentrated to afford 8.47 g (94%) of a brown oil which was carried on without further purification.

Provenance & Evidence