Acetic Acid → Etodolac

Participants

Reaction Steps

(R)-Etodolac (1.0 g) is dissolved in methanol (20 ml) and treated with concentrated sulphuric acid (0.06 equiv). The mixture is heated under reflux for 3 days then cooled to ambient temperature. The racemic ester is deposited as a white crystalline solid and collected by filtration (60% yield). The racemic ester is treated with aqueous sodium hydroxide to effect hydrolysis, then acidified with acetic acid to pH 4 to give racemic etodolac as an off-white micro-crystalline powder.

Provenance & Evidence