Acetic Acid → 1-Benzyl-4-ethoxycarbonyl-4-methyl-3-pyrrolidone

Participants

Reaction Steps

60.2 g (0.196 mole) of N-ethoxycarbonylmethyl-N-(2-ethoxycarbonylpropyl)benzylamine [prepared as described in Step (2) above] were added dropwise to a suspension of 24.2 g (0.22 mole) of potassium t-butoxide in 300 ml of toluene over a period of 3 hours, whilst keeping the temperature below 6° C. The mixture was then stirred at the same temperature for 3 hours, after which 13 g of acetic acid were added to it. The toluene layer was separated, washed with water and dried, and the solvent was removed by evaporation under reduced pressure, to give 48.0 g of 1-benzyl-4-ethoxycarbonyl-4-methyl-3-pyrrolidone as a red oil.

Provenance & Evidence