Formic Acid → N-[2-(Chloroacetyl)phenyl]-N-methylformamide

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of formic acid (2.3 ml) and acetic anhydride (3.6 ml) was heated at 50 to 60° for 2 hours, cooled to 0 to 5° and dichloromethane (10 ml) added. A solution of 2-chloro-2'-(methylamino)acetophenone (1.6 g) in dichloromethane (25 ml) was added and the solution then stirred at 10°-20° for 3 hours. The solution was cooled to 0 to 5° and water (50 ml) followed by aqueous sodium bicarbonate (1M, 50 ml) was added. The layers were separated and the aqueous layer was extracted with dichloromethane (50 ml). The combined dichloromethane layer and extract were dried over magnesium sulphate and the solvent was removed by distillation to give the novel compound 2'-(2-chloro-acetyl)-N-methylformanilide in the form of an oil.

Provenance & Evidence