Diethyl Ether → 4-Vinylbenzoic acid

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Reaction Steps

To a well-stirred solution of methyl p-vinylbenzoate (36.0 g, 0.222 mole) in THF (200 mL) was added a solution of sodium hydroxide (17.78 g, 0.444 mole) in water (200 mL) at room temperature. After stirring overnight, water (100 mL), THF (150 mL), and ethyl ether (200 mL) was added and the phases separated. The aqueous phase was acidified with a solution of concentrated hydrochloric acid (41 mL) in water (90 mL) then extracted three times with THF (500-600 mL each). The latter combined organic extracts were dried over anhydrous magnesium sulfate, filtered, and concentrated in vacuo to provide 32.7 g (99.5 percent) of white solids. Proton nmr (Gemini model 300 MHz) in deuterochloroform: delta 8.08 (2H), 7.50 (2H), 6.78 (1H), 5.90 (1H), 5.41 (1H).

Provenance & Evidence