Ethyl Acrylate → Ethyl 1-(3-ethoxy-3-oxopropyl)pyrrolidine-3-carboxylate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A solution of (±) ethyl N-benzyl-3-pyrrolidinyl carboxylate (D1) (100 g, 0.43 mole) in ethanol (800 ml) was treated with ammonium formate (135.32 g, 2.15 mole) and 10% Pd on carbon (25 g) then heated at 70° C. for 2h. After 1h a further addition of 10% Pd on carbon (10 g) was made. The reaction mixture was filtered through celite and the filtrate concentrated in vacuo. The residue was partitioned between chloroform and saturated aqueous potassium carbonate solution. The organic phase was separated, dried (Na2SO4), and concentrated in vacuo. The residue was dissolved in ethanol (500 ml), treated with ethyl acrylate (51.56 g, 0.52 mole) then heated under reflux for 1h. The reaction mixture was concentrated in vacuo, treated with saturated aqueous potassium carbonate, then extracted into chloroform. The combined organic extracts were dried (Na2SO4), concentrated in vacuo and the residue distilled to afford the title compound (D2) as an oil (60.53 g, 58%), b.p. 135°-145° C. at 4 mmHg.

Provenance & Evidence