Acetic Acid → 4-Methylphenyl acetate

Participants

Reaction Conditions

Reaction Steps

A mixture of p-cresol (1.08 g (10 mmole)) and acetic acid (25 ml) was stirred for 5 hours at 110° C. to produce p-acetoxytoluene. N-hydroxyphthalimide (0.16 g (1 mmole)) and cobalt(II) acetylacetonate (0.018 g (0.05 mmole)) were added to this reaction mixture, and this mixture was stirred for 6 hours at 100° C. under an oxygen atmosphere. The product in the resultant reaction mixture was analyzed by gas chromatography and, as a result, p-acetoxybenzoic acid (yield 92%) was formed. The conversion of p-cresol was 95%.

Provenance & Evidence