Diethyl Oxalate → Ethyl 2-(5-acetylamino-2-methylphenyl)-2-oxoacetate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

To a solution of N-acetyl-3-bromo-4-methylaniline (1.43 g, 627 mmol) in THF (50 mL) at −78° C. is added 2M BuLi in pentane (7.83 mL, 15.66 mmol) dropwise. After a further 1 h, diethyl oxalate (4.26 mL, 31.3 mmol) is added. After stirring for 4 hours at −78° C., the reaction mixture is quenched with saturated NH4Cl solution. The mixture is partitioned between ethyl acetate and water. The layer is separated and the aqueous layer is extracted with ethyl acetate. The combined organic extracts are washed with brine, dried over Na2SO4, filtered and concentrated. The residue is purified by column chromatography (silica gel, eluting with ethyl acetate; hexanes from 1/1 to 2/1) to afford fee title compound (0.82 g, 52%).

Provenance & Evidence