Hydrochloric Acid → Methyl 3-chloro-4-fluoro-alpha-azidocinnamate

Participants

Reaction Steps

While cooling with an ice bath 1.35 g of sodium were dissolved in 30 ml of methanol and subsequently a solution of 4.65 g of 3-chloro-4-fluorobenzaldehyde and 6.75 g of methyl azidoacetate in 10 ml of methanol were added within 20 min. The reaction mixture was stirred at room temperature for 3 hours and then neutralized with 2N HCl. The mixture was extracted with ethyl acetate, washed with water and saturated sodium chloride solution and the organic phase was dried over sodium sulfate. The solvent was removed and the residue was chromatographed over 250 g of silica gel with n-hexane-toluene 2:1. There were obtained 2.5 g (33%) of methyl 3-chloro-4-fluoro-a-azidocinnamate as yellow crystals with m.p. 72°-74°.

Provenance & Evidence