Phenylacetyl chloride → (4S)-3-(2-Phenylacetyl)-4-(phenylmethyl)-2-oxazolidinone

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Reaction Steps

Combine (S)-4-benzyl-2-oxazolidinone (22.9 g, 129 mmol) and tetrahydrofuran (120 mL). Cool in a dry-ice/acetone bath. Add dropwise a solution of n-butyl lithium (52 mL, 2.5 M, 130 mmol). After 15 minutes, slowly add a solution of phenylacetyl chloride (20 g, 129.4 mmol) in tetrahydrofuran (50 mL). After 20 minutes, warm to ambient temperature. After 2 hours, quench the reaction mixture by the addition of a saturated aqueous sodium bicarbonate solution. Separate the layers and extract the aqueous layer with diethyl ether. Combine the organic layers, dry over Na2SO4, filter, and evaporate in vacuo to give a residue. Chromatograph the residue on silica gel eluting with 15% ethyl acetate/hexane. Combine the product containing fractions, evaporate, and recrytallize from diethyl ether/hexane to give (S)-4-benzyl-3-phenylacetyl-2-oxazolidinone.

Provenance & Evidence