Protocatechuic Acid → Methyl 3,4-Dihydroxybenzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 100 g of 3,4-dihydroxy benzoic acid, 600 ml methyl alcohol and 10 ml of concentrated sulfuric acid is heated at reflux for 18 hours. The reaction mixture is cooled to room temperature, poured into water and extracted with methylene chloride. The organic layer is washed with saturated sodium bicarbonate and sodium chloride, dried and concentrated in vacuo to give 50.6 g of the desired product.

Provenance & Evidence