Methylamine → 1-benzyl-N-methyl-5-oxopyrrolidine-3-carboxamide

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 100 g (0.43 mole) of methyl 5-oxo-1-(phenylmethyl)-3-pyrrolidinecarboxylate [J. Org. Chem., 26, 1519 (1961)], 500 ml methanol and 100 g (3.2 mole) of methylamine was heated at 100° C. in a pressure reactor for 16 hours. The reaction mixture was cooled and the ammonia and methanol were removed under reduced pressure. The residue was taken up in dichloromethane and washed with 3×100 ml 1N sodium hydroxide. The organic layer was dried over magnesium sulfate and the solvent removed at reduced pressure to give 88.3 g of N-methyl-5-oxo-1-(phenylmethyl)-3-pyrrolidinecarboxamide as a white solid, mp 82.5°-83.0° C.

Provenance & Evidence