Ethanol → 4-Cyanobenzoic acid

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A mixture containing ethyl p-cyanobenzoate (87.5 g, 0.5 mol), ethanol (192.5 g), and water (449.2 g) was placed in a 1 l-flask. The mixture was heated to 60° C., and a 20% aqueous solution of sodium hydroxide was added thereto so as to adjust the pH of the mixture at 9.9-10.0. Twenty-three hours after the reaction started, liquid chromatographic analysis revealed that the reaction mixture contained 60.3 g of p-cyanobenzoic acid (yield 82%).

Provenance & Evidence