Sodium Hydroxide → 3-Tert-butyl-2-methoxybenzoic acid

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 0.01 mole of 3-t-butyl-2-methoxytoluene, 0.01 mole of potassium permanganate, and 100 ml. of 1 N sodium hydroxide solution is heated to reflux and another 0.01 mole of potassium permanganate is added each hour until a total of 0.05 mole has been added (4 hours). After another 2 hours of reflux the unreacted starting material is steam distilled. Ethanol is added to the residue to decompose excess permanganate and mixture is filtered hot. Acidification with sulfuric acid of the filtrate causes precipitation of the product which is collected, washed with water and dried to give 3-t-butyl-2-methoxybenzoic acid.

Provenance & Evidence