Sulfuric Acid → Methyl 3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzoate

Participants

Reaction Steps

A mixture of 3-hydroxy-4-methoxybenzoic acid (Aldrich, 10 g, 59.5 mmol), methanol (250 ml) and concentrated sulfuric acid (1 ml) was stirred overnight and the product was poured into a mixture of sodium bicarbonate and ice. The aqueous mixture was then extracted three times with ethyl acetate. The resulting organic layers were combined, washed with water and brine, and dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate. Rotary evaporation of the solution gave 9.5 g of the desired product as a colorless oil. NMR (δ):3.89 (s, 3H), 3.95 (s, 3H).

Provenance & Evidence