Hydrochloric Acid → cis-Cinnamic acid

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

1.1 g of methyl (Z)-3-phenylacrylate are dissolved in a mixture of 30 ml of tetrahydrofuran and 10 ml of water, and 340 mg of lithium hydroxide are added. The mixture is stirred at 60° C. After four hours, the reaction mixture is acidified by adding one molar hydrochloric acid solution and extracted five times with 50 ml of ethyl acetate each time. The combined organic phases are dried over MgSO4 and then the solvent is removed in vacuo. 900 mg of (Z)-3-phenylacrylic acid are obtained as an oil.

Provenance & Evidence